Naruto - Journey to the Unknown - Complete!
by Fire and Lightning
Summary: After returning from their last mission, Naruto is badly wounded and requires immediate medical attention. While the ninja continent is preparing for another Great War, another force from the other side of the world reveals itself. With the entirety of Team 7 in danger, Tsunade sends them with a mysterious stranger across the world to a land believed to have existed only in legend.
1. Chapter 1

**Journey to the Unknown**

 **A Naruto and Chris Lynheart Crossover**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. However, this story does not take place in the canon lore of the series. This is a crossover of Naruto and my own series titled "Chris Lynheart". If the reader is annoyed by stories that break away from the actual lore, exit this story immediately.

Naruto Characters: All main characters in early Shippuden. Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi, Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, Shino, Hinata, and a few others.

My characters: Any character outside of Naruto lore, as well as any animal species that will come into play later in the story.

Story Setting: Very Early Shippuden

Supporting couple(s): NaruSaku and Chris x Jessica (my characters)

Warning! All of my characters are protected by copyright. You may **NOT** take these characters for your own use!

For those interested, here's a link to my book: Chris-Lynheart-Rise-Experiment-2025-ebook/dp/B00APF0GQI?ie=UTF8&keywords=Dalton%20Reutlinger&qid=1462503055&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

This story is a re-write of the very first story I ever wrote. The original story will be posted after this re-write is done.

 **Chapter One**

 **Cutting it Close**

After returning from a mission that occupied their last three months Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno headed towards the hospital. Naruto had been injured badly and Sakura feared for his life. While the squad leader Kakashi Hatake headed for the Hokage building to give the report of the mission to Lady Tsunade.

When Kakashi reached the Hokage's office, he knocked on the door, and was told by a voice on the other side to enter. Kakashi opened the door and stepped into Tsunade's office and saw her leaning on her desk with her face in her palms. "So how did the mission go?" She asked in her regular tone.

Kakashi remained silent for a moment before answering, "Ma-am, the mission was a success, but Naruto was badly injured. Even the Nine-Tailed-Fox couldn't heal him on its own, and Sakura did what she could to keep him stable. However, his injuries were beyond her skill to heal."

Tsunade's eyes widened and she shot up from her desk, "How bad are his injuries?" She asked with a worried voice.

Kakashi remained silent for a moment, then answered, "Pretty severe. Words cannot even begin to describe the amount of pain he's in right now. His face has several burns and slashes, his spine has been snapped, and you can literally see the inside of his chest. On top of that, both his legs are broken, and his right shoulder is torn as well."

Tsunade was speechless. She stared at Kakashi's one eye, and hoped for a sign of any exaggeration, but there was none. "That bad? Damn those Akatsuki to hell!" She stood from her chair and walked to the window behind her and stared at the hospital in the distance, "If I had known this was going to happen I never would have sent him on that mission. The village needs him right now. We're too weak in number, and we're on the verge of another Great War. We can't afford him to be in this condition for long."

Kakashi joined her at the window and looked at the hospital as well.

Tsunade stood by Kakashi in silence for a while before Kakashi broke the silence, "Lady Tsunade."

Tsunade rolled her eyes to look at Kakashi, "Yes?"

"What do you think Sakura is going through right now? They've grown quite close ever since he got back, and it's clear he's gotten much stronger. I don't know what tricks Jiraiya taught him, but it's definitely clear he's mastered some new skills. Including the Rasengan."

Tsunade's eyes widened, "H-he mastered the Rasengan? Not even the Fourth was able to do that at his age." "That little brat." She thought.

They stood in silence for a while again before Tsunade finally sighed, "Very well. Kakashi, go to the hospital and tell Sakura I'll be there as soon as I can."

Kakashi turned towards the door and started walking, "I'm on it." He closed the door behind him as he exited the room, and Tsunade sat down at her desk again with one thought, "What could have happened on that mission?"

At the hospital, Sakura was sitting beside Naruto's bed, and gently rubbing his forehead. She had tears running down her cheeks as she stared at her trusted friend and teammate with thoughts running madly through her head, " _Why? Why are you always like this? You always push yourself so hard that you return with injuries. After two years of training…I still couldn't help you._ " She looked up at the ceiling as she started to cry, " _I'm still the weakling of the squad. No matter how hard I push myself, I'm always three steps behind. One would think that after two years of training with the best healer on the continent, I could actually be of some worth._ " She looked down and rested her right hand on his closest hand, "I'm sorry, Naruto. I've failed you again…" She said in a low soft voice, then tilted her head towards the ground as more tears started to fill her eyes.

Sakura was taken out of her thoughts when she heard Naruto moaning and breathing heavily. She looked up and saw that he was gritting his teeth in pain, then opened his mouth as if he were trying to scream in pain, but his injuries wouldn't let him. Sakura immediately cast a healing jutsu on him that covered his entire body, and a few moments later, he stopped acting like he was in pain. Sakura released a sigh of relief and held Naruto's hand again, letting him know she was there. But she was caught off guard when Naruto slowly rolled his head towards her and opened his eyes just enough to see her,

"Sa…Saku…ra…" Naruto managed to say. His voice gave it away for Sakura. He was still in unbearable pain, but she didn't know what else to do. The only thing she could do was try and comfort him as best she could. She leaned closer to him and covered his mouth with her index finger,

"Shhh. I'm here, Naruto. I'm not going to leave you." She whispered softly in his ear.

Naruto managed to smile a little bit, but he closed his eyes before Sakura was able to notice. She leaned back in her chair, still holding Naruto's hand, and stared in silence at her teammate, scared that this could have been the last time she saw his eyes.

There was a light nock at the door, and without turning her head from Naruto, Sakura told the person to come in.

The door slid open, and in the corner of her eye, Sakura could tell it was Ino by the outfit, "So how did you hear about this, Ino?" Sakura asked, still looking at Naruto.

"There's already word on the street." Ino said quietly as she walked to Naruto's bed and sat down on the opposite side of Sakura, She looked at Naruto for a few seconds, studying his face, then looked at Sakura, "So…how bad are his injuries?" She asked quietly.

"Pretty severe." Sakura said, still not turning her attention from Naruto, "He has burns all over his body, as well as a snapped spine. The other injuries are…too gruesome for me to talk about."

Ino stared at Sakura in awe, then turned to look at Naruto again. She hesitated at first, but then reached for his blanket and slowly started pulling it down, but was stopped by Sakura,

"I wouldn't do that, Ino, unless you have a strong stomach."

Ino looked at Sakura, then looked back at Naruto. She sighed, and then looked at Sakura again, "Sakura…with all due respect, Naruto is my friend, too. I care about him as a friend, and I need to know the truth." She turned back to Naruto, and slowly pulled his blanket down to his abdomen. What she saw made her jaw drop, and she quickly covered him again,

"H-how did this happen?" Ino asked in shock while looking at Sakura, "Did he fight a member of the Akatsuki, or did he lose a very big bet against a Bear?"

Sakura, ignoring the joke, slowly shook her head, "I don't know, Ino. I didn't see it happen. All I remember is Naruto running off after an opponent while I was dealing with my own problems. Then, when I was finished, I chased after Naruto to reinforce him…" Her voice got bumpy with emotion and she started to cry again, "And that's when I saw him lying face down on the riverbank."

Ino stared in silence, unable to say anything, then looked at Naruto, " _You've got to be kidding. Man, poor Naruto._ " She thought.

Just then, the door slid open again. Ino turned to see who it was, and saw Kakashi standing in the door way, "Oh, hey, Kakashi. Are you here to see Naruto, too?"

Kakashi shook his head, "I wish I had the time, but other things are popping up. I'm just here at Lady Tsunade's request. She says she'll be here shortly to take care of Naruto." He turned his attention from Ino to Sakura, who was still crying, "So how is he doing, Sakura?"

Sakura wiped her tears away, and tried to get her emotions under control. She didn't look at Kakashi, but still answered the question, "I think I've gotten him stable enough, but his injuries are just too far above my skill to heal."

Ino looked at Sakura with sorrowful eyes, as she could tell Sakura was very annoyed by her lack of skill, "It's not your fault, Sakura. You've done what you can. Don't beat yourself up over it."

"You should listen to Ino, Sakura." Kakashi said in a calm caring tone, "If it wasn't for you Naruto wouldn't be here now. It was only because of your determination that we made it to the village with him alive. You refused to give up on him, even when your Chakra was nearly depleted."

Sakura didn't say anything, nor did she turn to face Kakashi. She only nodded, knowing that Kakashi and Ino were both correct. "But still…I'm just…I'm tired of feeling insignificant."

"Well, there's no point dwelling on it, Sakura." Kakashi said in as comforting a voice he could have, "Anyway, I've got some errands to run. Tsunade should be here shortly, so don't get too comfortable."

Sakura and Ino only nodded, and turned back to Naruto when he disappeared into a cloud of smoke.

Shortly after Kakashi left, the door slid open again, and this time Tsunade, Shizune, and several other medical ninja stepped into the room. "Sakura, Ino, I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you two to leave so we can commence surgery on Naruto."

Sakura tore her eyes from Naruto, taking him out of her sight for the first time they got back, and stood from her chair. "You mean…you don't want us to help? We're both medical ninja, too."

Tsunade sighed and walked over to Sakura and rested her hands on her shoulder, "Sakura, listen to me. I know you try your hardest, and you want to help Naruto as much as you can. I know asking you to leave is hard, but it would just be easier on you if you did. This surgery isn't going to be easy for Naruto."

Sakura opened her mouth to say something, but stopped when she realized Tsunade was right. She sighed, looked down at the ground, and then looked back at Naruto for a second. She then grabbed her bag that was sitting on the floor next to her chair, and slowly walked out of the room.

Ino followed, but was cut off by Tsunade when she held her arm out. Tsunade waited until Sakura was out of hearing range, then looked down at Ino, who had a very confused look on her face. "Ino, I want you to gather your friends and find a way to take Sakura's mind off this. This surgery could last a while, and it's going to seem like an eternity to Sakura if she's left alone. I'll send Shizune to inform you when Naruto's ready for visitors."

Ino smiled and saluted, "Yes, Ma-am. I'll take care of her."

Tsunade nodded in approval and lowered her arm, letting Ino exit the room. Shizune closed the door behind her, and watched as Tsunade and the other medical ninja took their positions around Naruto.

"Alright, let's get to work!" Tsunade said in a confident tone.

Outside the hospital, Ino caught up with Sakura just outside the doors. Sakura's cheeks were red, and Ino could tell she could bust out into tears any second. She reached out to Sakura, grabbing her shoulder, and pulling her into a comforting hug, "It's going to be okay, Sakura.I know things are bad, but Naruto will pull through this. You'll see."

Sakura hugged Ino tightly as she started to cry on her shoulder, "This is all my fault! I saw Naruto run off on his own, I had an opening to run after him. I had several chances to bring him back to us! Had I broken formation and went after him…maybe he wouldn't be in this situation."

Ino started to stroke Sakura's back, and she rested her chin on Sakura's shoulder so she could whisper in her ear, "Oh, Sakura. Nothing about this is your fault, and don't try to tell yourself otherwise. Yes, you may have had a chance to go after him, but you didn't. You had no way of knowing this would happen, and you had your own problems to deal with. Naruto's a strong ninja, and he's always been able to best his opponents. You had no reason to think he wouldn't have been able to handle whatever it was he was going after. Don't beat yourself up over this. It was out of your control."

Sakura continued to cry on Ino's shoulder, and Ino started rocking back and forth, trying to give Sakura as much comfort as she could. "It's not just Naruto, though." Sakura said, "There was only so much I could do for him, and there's only so much I could do to comfort him when things got too painful for him! Why can't I be stronger, why can't I actually be worth something?!"

Ino grabbed Sakura's shoulders tightly, and stared her in the eyes, "Sakura! You _are_ worth something, and you're not weak because Naruto's wounds were out of your skill level. Just because you couldn't heal him, doesn't mean you're worthless! You're not worthless and you never will be! Besides, I can tell you for a fact that Naruto would rather he be in this situation than you or Kakashi. If you were in his position, how do you think he would take it? The entire military would have to be called in just to keep him out of the hospital." She paused for a moment as she thought about what she just said, and tried not to smile or laugh once she realized there was some actual truth to her words. She returned her attention to Sakura, who was starting to calm down, and pulled her into another hug, "Just because you think you're worthless doesn't mean you really are. You're worth a lot to me, and all of the other squads…especially Naruto."

Sakura hugged Ino back and rested her head on her shoulder, "Thanks, Ino. I really needed that. I'm sorry I'm such a wimp."

Ino smiled and shook her head, "It's okay, Sakura. I knew you were a wimp the day I met you."

Sakura smiled and smirked out a laugh, "Oh, shut up,"

Ino released Sakura from her embrace and had her walk alongside her, "You know, Sakura, Lady Tsunade wanted me to look over you for a while, just to help you pass the time. So I was wondering if you'd like to hear my plan."

Sakura smiled and nodded, "Sure. What do you have in mind?"

"How about we get the gang all together and meet at Ichiraku Ramen? I'm sure they'd be willing to help you out, too."

Sakura looked at the ground ahead of her while she thought about Ino's question, then looked at Ino again, "Sure. I'd like that, and I think Naruto would, too. But first I need to head home and clear my head. This isn't going to be an easy time for me."

Ino nodded, "Sure. I understand. Take as much time as you need to. When do you think you'll be ready?"

"Oh, just plan to meet in a couple of hours." Sakura said, "I just need some time alone."

"Sure thing." Ino held Sakura's hand tightly before she left, "Naruto will survive this. I promise." She then released Sakura's hand, and darted off in a random direction to inform her squad and pass the news around.

Sakura waved good-bye, and continued on her way home.

Making her way home, Sakura, despite the comforting words from Ino, was still fighting back tears. Though she agreed to meet Ino and her other friends at Ichiraku Ramen, she felt sick to her stomach, and didn't feel like eating anything. Knowing that her best friend and teammate was very capable of dying, she didn't want to think of much of anything else aside from Naruto and if there was something she could have done to help him more than she did. Her vision was getting blurry from the tears forming in her eyes, and she couldn't hold it in in any longer. She faced the wall of a nearby building, lowered her head, and silently started crying, trying to keep her voice low enough people wouldn't hear. After a few moments, she felt a drop of water on her arm, followed by another one on her shoulder. She looked up at the sky, and saw a rainstorm was moving in quickly, and could tell it was going to be serious. She wiped the tears from her eyes, and quickly made her way to her house that was just down the street.

By the time Sakura reached her house, the village was in an absolute downpour, almost as if the heavens were crying with her. She jumped over the railing of her porch, took off her boots, and opened the door to find her mother standing in the entry way.

"And just where have you been, Sakura?" Her mother asked in an annoyed tone.

"Look, mom, I'm sorry for not coming home right away after the mission…but a few things happened on the last mission." Sakura said, trying to hide the emotion in her voice.

"Oh? And what was that? I heard Naruto was hurt. Were you spending time with him?" Sakura's mother (I honestly don't remember her name) asked. Sakura narrowed her eyes as she continued, "That… 'boy' is nothing but trouble. How many times have I told you to stay away from him? Why, just the thought of you being near – "

"Shut up, mother!" Sakura yelled, catching her mother completely off guard. Sakura's stare intensified as she continued, "How dare you talk about him like that. You've never even met him, and yet you insult him like everyone else in this Devine forsaken village! I've known him for the better part of my life, and I've been on the same squad as him for nearly four years now. I know him better than you ever could! It's because of Naruto – this boy you idiots keep calling a "demon" that I always come back here to greet people like you who take his sacrifices for granted. You don't know the pain he's suffered, and I doubt you're even willing to give him a chance to prove himself."

The next thing she knew, Sakura's right cheek stung with the red mark of her mother's hand, leaving her both shocked and confused. She couldn't believe it. Her own mother had just slapped her for the first time in her life.

"I don't care what you think that…thing it!" Sakura's mother said, making Sakura send her a death glare.

" _Thing?!_ " Sakura thought

"It doesn't matter what he is to you, or how well you know him." Sakura's mother continued, "He's deceiving you, which is something demons like him are very clever at. I'd hoped I'd raised you to be more intelligent than this, but- "

Sakura grabbed a vase off the table next to her, and threw it at her mother as hard as she could. Her mother ducked under it just in time, and watch it shatter into a million pieces as it hit the wall behind her. She slowly turned back to face Sakura and met the most ticked off look she'd ever seen in her daughter's eyes in the past.

Sakura was clenching her fists tightly, breathing heavily, and tears were forming in her eyes again. "You idiots will never understand. You'll never understand the pain you caused him as a child, nor the pain you're still causing him to this very day. All he wants is to be accepted and respected by his own village. I remember I used to hate him when I was younger because of the way he acted. But now…after seeing the ignorance and sheer stupidity he had to deal with, I understand why he acted the way he did. It wasn't his choice to have the Nine Tails sealed inside of him, nor is it his fault. If the Haruno clan has a history of blaming people for things they had no control over, and call them demons because they refuse to understand them, then I don't want any part of this clan anymore!" She then stormed past her mother, went up the stairs, to her room, and slammed the door, leaving her mother with a shocked and startled look. She couldn't believe her daughter just threatened to quit the Haruno clan, and realized she was wrong about treating Naruto so badly, but she still denied the possibility of such feelings.

"Eh. She'll get over it." Sakura's mother said, trying to brush off what just happened. She then returned to what she was doing before Sakura arrived.

Nearly an hour later, Sakura left her room, and left the house in a rush, hoping her mother wouldn't spot her. She was still angry over the little chat she'd had, and didn't want to communicate with her until she was in favor of getting another headache. The storm from earlier had mostly passed on, but it was still lightly sprinkling. There were puddles along the sides of the streets, and kids had already come out of their houses to splash around in them. Sakura smiled softly as she passed by some younger boys playfully jumping around in puddles and splashing each other and starting mud fights. Sakura covered her mouth and giggled quietly as one of the boys lost his footing and fell flat on his back in the puddle he was in. For the first time, she had actually really smiled since she found Naruto lying motionless on the riverbank during their last mission. A welcoming warm relaxing breeze from the storm helped ease her mind a bit, and she smiled as she welcomed it.

" _There's just something about a storm._ " She thought, " _These warm breezes they bring always tend to make my worries go away, no matter how worried I am._ "

She released a relaxed sigh, and let the breeze take away most of her worries. Her hair waved in the wind, and leaves brushed by her feet. It was almost as if Nature itself was trying to calm her down and take her mind off Naruto. A feeling she welcomed indeed. Once she felt truly at peace, she continued to the Ramen stand where she was supposed to meet everyone.

As she approached Ichiraku Ramen, Sakura was greeted by Ino and Shikamaru.

"Hi, Ino. Hey, Shikamaru. How are things going?" Sakura asked as she approached them.

"We're doing okay for now." Shikamaru said, "Ino told me about what happened. It's a total drag, but it wouldn't be right for you to have to deal with this yourself."

Sakura smiled softly, "Thanks, Shikamaru." She turned to Ino, "So where's everyone else?"

"They'll be here shortly. Hinata, Shino, and Kiba are wrapping up a training exercise, Guy's team should be here soon."

"And Choji?" Sakura asked.

"He had to take a trip to the men's room." Shikamaru said, pointing to the public restroom behind him with his thumb.

"Ah, well, what say we head on inside?" Sakura asked.

Ino and Shikamaru nodded, and opened the curtains to the restaurant stand, letting Sakura go through first. Sakura smiled and walked in, but her smile disappeared when she saw the stool Naruto always sat at empty.

"So, what'll it be, young lady?" Ichiraku asked, taking Sakura out of her gaze. She shook her head and looked at the elderly man, "Er…excuse me? I was lost in thought."

"Your order. What'll it be?" Ichiraku asked. He paused as he noticed who Sakura actually was, "Hey, wait a minute. I know you. You're that girl on Naruto's team, aren't you?"

Sakura smiled softly and nodded.

"Well, I'll be darned. Has he finally talked you into letting him take you on a date?" Ichiraku asked, "Come to think of it…where is he? This is usually where he'll spend the next several hours after a mission. He'll go on and on about everything that happened."

Sakura's smile disappeared and she looked down at the ground, "I…I'm sorry. But… he won't be coming back for quite some time I'd imagine. The last mission…it didn't go so well."

Ichiraku and the woman behind the counter froze and looked at her with worry. "I…I see." Ichiraku said in a sad tone. "Well…take your seat, and I'll get you something to eat."

Sakura nodded, and claimed her seat next to Naruto's favorite place to sit. Ino and Shikamaru joined her on each side, but Shikamaru left Naruto's spot open as well.

"So how severe were his injuries?" Ichiraku asked with his back turned to Sakura while he was preparing some things, "Forgive me for asking, but I'd like to know."

"It's okay. I don't blame you for being curious." Sakura said in a low voice, "His spine was snapped, and he suffered severe burns all over his body. The rest…I don't really want to talk about. Needless to say, he's in rough shape."

Ichiraku remained silent for a moment, "I see…"

Sakura rolled her eyes to the woman who worked with Ichiraku and saw the worry in her eyes. "I don't know if he'll make it."

Ichiraku turned towards Sakura and placed a bowl of hot ramen in front of her, "Now don't be talking like that." He said in as cheerful of a voice he could bring up, "If you focus on the negative it'll only get you down even more. Naruto's a tough kid. He'll pull through this and be back to his old self in no time at all."

Sakura smiled kindly, and looked at the ramen bowl in front of her. However, her eyes widened once she realized she'd forgotten something, "Um…this is actually kind of embarrassing…but I forgot to bring money with me."

"Ah, don't sweat it. Your food is on the house. Eat all you like." Ichiraku said with a big smile.

Sakura smiled and thankfully nodded. She grabbed some chopsticks and started eating what she could while Ichiraku took Ino and Shikamaru's orders.

Shortly after Ino and Shikamaru had gotten their meals, Choji, Lee, Neji, and Ten-Ten showed up.

"Hey, guys, what took you so long?" Ino asked looking over her right shoulder.

"Sorry, but we got a little…distracted." Ten-Ten said, shooting a glare at Lee, making him take a sudden step back.

"Hmph. Typical Lee." Ino joked as she shot a wink at Lee, "Anyway, take a seat, guys, and take your orders."

Everyone claimed a seat at the counter, and took their orders. After ordering, Neji looked at Sakura and asked, "Do you know when Naruto will be open for visiting?"

Sakura turned to Neji and shook her head, "I'm afraid not. I'd imagine by either tomorrow or the day after, but I can't say for certain. Tsunade is commencing surgery on him as we speak."

Ten-Ten released a sigh of relief and rested her right hand on her chest, "Thank goodness. Ino told us about his wounds, and it sounded pretty bad. But he's in the best hands possible with Tsunade."

Sakura nodded in agreement, "True. But…I wish I could have done something, too." She said in a low tone before lowering her head.

Ino rested her hand on Sakura's back, and offered a little comfort, "You did all you could, Sakura. Don't hate yourself for it."

"Ino's right, Sakura." Ten-Ten said, "Trust me. Naruto would much rather he be in this situation than you or Kakashi."

Sakura nodded slowly in agreement, "I suppose that's true…"

"Aw c'mon, Sakura, stop being so hard on yourself." A voice said from outside the stand, catching everyone's attention. They all turned to see Kiba and Akamaru standing just outside with Kiba holding one of the flaps hanging from the ceiling aside.

"Oh, hey, Kiba. You guys finally made it, huh?" Ino asked.

"Yep! All four of us." Kiba said as he walked into the stand and took a seat next to Shikamaru, followed by Shino and Hinata. Shino claimed the far right seat while Hinata took Naruto's place next to Sakura, making Sakura give Hinata a slightly angry glare.

"So, Sakura, Shikamaru told us what happened, and that you were being pretty hard on yourself." Kiba said, "There's no need for you to be that angry at yourself. Based off what I was told, you guys were caught completely off guard. Just be thankful that you, Kakashi, and Naruto got away. Things could have been worse…much worse."

Hinata smiled at Sakura and nodded in agreement with Kiba, while Shino just sat silently.

Sakura smiled softly and looked at Kiba, "Thanks, Kiba. But I've realized now that things were out of my control, and you're right. Things could have been worse."

"There, ya see? You're getting better." Ino said, patting Sakura on the back.

Sakura laughed and smiled at Ino, "Yeah, thanks to you. You've really cheered me up doing all this for me."

"Oh, and this is just the beginning." Ino said, catching Sakura's full attention. "Tsunade assigned me my mission for today before we left. I am not to let you get too far down and depressed while thinking about Naruto. And so long as you're with me, you'll be so busy that he won't even enter your mind."

"Really? Tsunade wanted you to do all that for me?" Sakura asked in awe.

Ino smiled and nodded, "Mmm-hmm. And do I have plans for you! When was the last time you went to the mall?"

Sakura held her finger up to her chin as she tried to think back, "Hmm…its been at least three or four months."

"Exactly! And you call yourself a girl. When we're done eating, I'm taking you there right away." Ino said.

Sakura laughed, "Thanks, Ino, but I have another thing I need to do first."

"Hmm? And what's that?" Ino asked curiously.

"Maybe it'd be better if I just showed you." Sakura said. She reached into the back on her lower back, just above her right hip, pulled several pieces of shattered glass out, and showed them to Ino.

"What's this? It looks like some kind of glass…wait…" Ino's eyes widened when she fit the pieces together in her mind, "Is that Naruto's necklace?!"

Sakura nodded, "Yeah, unfortunately, it is." She started messing around with the pieces with her right hand while holding them in her left, "This is one of Naruto's most treasured items, and I found the pieces lying all around him when I found him on the river. I've heard that it's supposed to be really valuable…or was valuable, but I know it's priceless to Naruto. He never took it off…at least not that I remember. It would kill him if I told him it was gone."

"So what do you plan to do?" Ino asked.

Sakura put the fragments of the necklace back in her pouch, "I'm going to take it to the jeweler to see if I can have it repaired, or at least make a fake copy of it."

Ino looked at Sakura with a blank face, "But…Sakura. Doing that will cost you all the money you earned on this last mission, plus maybe even your last."

Sakura nodded in agreement, "True. But this mission almost cost me Naruto's life, too. Besides, money comes and goes, and there will always be simple class D missions I could take and work on my own."

Ino took a moment to process Sakura's words, then grinned at her, "Sakura…that's incredibly selfless and…actually kind of sweet of you."

"In fact, it may be a little too sweet." Kiba said, making Sakura and Ino look at him, "I think there's more to this picture than you're telling us."

Sakura's cheeks turned pink and she turned away from Kiba, "I-I have no idea w-what you're talking about. I'm just looking after my teammate. That's all."

Kiba grinned, "Uh-huh. Sure. Why don't you just kiss him and get it over with?" He said in a teasing tone, making Sakura blush even more.

Ten-Ten gave Kiba and annoyed glare and slammed the back of her fist into his face, making him fall backwards off his stool.

Sakura smiled and looked at Ten-Ten, "Hmph! Thanks for that."

Ten-Ten grinned, and gave Sakura an "okay" sign with her fingers, then returned to eating her ramen.

Sakura then turned back to Ino, "Now that that's out of the way, I'll meet you at the mall after I've taken Naruto's necklace to the jeweler and see if I can have it fixed."

Ino nodded, "Sure, no problem." She turned her attention to Hinata and Ten-Ten, "Do you girls want to come, too? The more the merrier."

Hinata turned to Ino and nodded quietly, while Ten-Ten shook her head, "Sorry, Ino, I already have other plans."

"Alright, then. I guess our evening is planned out now." Ino said.

Sakura nodded, then looked down at her ramen and stared at it a few moments before pushing it away.

Ino, noticing Sakura's body language, patted her back, "Have you reached your limit?"

Sakura nodded in response and said, "To be honest…I wasn't really that hungry to start with. I haven't had much of an appetite since…since the incident." She looked up at Ichiraku, "Excuse me, can I get a Togo box or something?"

Ichiraku stopped what he was doing and turned his attention to Sakura, "You've reached your limit, huh? It's no big deal. I wasn't expecting you to eat a whole lot after what you told me." He handed Sakura a plastic bowel as he continued, "Oh, and one more thing." He reached into his pocket and handed Sakura some slices of paper, "Give one of these to Naruto when he wakes up. I'm sure he'll like it."

Sakura took the coupons and read one of them. " _Three free meals of any choice at Ichiraku Ramen. For a limited time only._ "

Sakura smiled kindly at Ichiraku, "Hey, thanks! Naruto will like these, that's a given. I'll give one to him when he's capable of leaving the hospital."

Ichiraku nodded and returned to what he was doing before. Sakura poured her remaining ramen in the Togo bowl and turned to Ino, "I guess I'll see you in a bit.

Ino nodded in response, and Sakura said good-bye to all her other friends. They all waved good-bye and wished Naruto well, then she ran off in the direction of the jeweler, making a quick stop at her house to put the ramen away.

At the jeweler, Sakura walked through the main entrance and stopped in the middle of the lobby. There were stands full of necklaces, rings, and other pieces of jewelry all over the place. She looked around for someone who was open, and saw a young man looking at her as if he was ready to help her. She smiled and walked over to him.

"Hello, miss, how are you today?" The young man said, greeting Sakura in a cheerful tone.

"Oh, given the circumstances, I guess I'm okay." Sakura said.

"So what can I help you with?" The man asked.

"Well…I was wondering if you guys could repair a necklace for me." Sakura said. She reached into her pouch, grabbed the pieces of Naruto's necklace, and laid them on the glass in front of her.

The man studied the pieces of the necklace for a moment, then looked at Sakura, "Um…I think we can. It's not going to be easy, though…or cheap for that matter."

"It doesn't matter." Sakura replied, "A friend of mine was hurt, and this was one of his most treasured possessions. I don't care if I have to pay an arm and a leg for it."

The man looked at Sakura for a moment and saw the fire in her eyes, then looked down at the necklace again, "Well, ma-am, I'm not sure if we could repair this as quickly as you'd like us to. However, I may know someone else who can."

"Who?" Sakura asked curiously.

The man grabbed a piece of paper and a pen, and started writing on it, "There's an elderly woman not too far from here who specializes in repairing pieces of jewelry like this. What takes us days to repair takes her a few hours." He handed Sakura the slip of paper, "She's an old friend of mine, and is always willing to help people like you out. She's a retired ninja who lost her best friend on a mission long ago after he had proposed to her. She never sought out another love interest after that, but I'll be you anything she'll help you for the fraction of our price."

Sakura smiled gracefully at the man, "Oh, thank you so much! I can't even begin to thank you enough!"

"Ah, don't mention it." The man said, "However, I would like to know your name. I don't think I've ever seen you before."

"Oh, you can call me Sakura." Sakura said.

"Haruno?" The man asked curiously.

Sakura smiled and nodded. "Yep. That's it. "

"Ah, well that explains your pink hair. I know your mother fairly well." The man said.

"Oh, really? Well, that actually doesn't surprise me considering her somewhat unhealthy obsession with jewelry." Sakura said, "So, if you don't mind me asking…what's your name?"

"You can call me Vasari." The man said, "Strange name, I know, but it's what I was given."

"Vasari? Hmm…that _is_ kind of a strange name. Are you from the Leaf Village?" Sakura asked.

Vasari nodded, "Lived here all my life."

"Hmm…curious. Well, thanks for your help, Vasari. Hope to see you again sometime." Sakura said. She grabbed the fragments of the necklace and put them in her pouch again.

"Yeah, you take care, Sakura." Vasari said. He watched as she left the building, wondering if he'd ever see her again.

After walking for a while Sakura found the store Vasari had given her the address to. She looked up at the sign and read, " _Jewelry Repair & Fair Prices. If it's broken, I can fix it. If not, you pay nothing."_

"Huh! It's a wonder I never saw this before." Sakura said to herself, "Come to think of it, I wonder how my mother has never seen this either." She made her way inside the store where she was greeted by an older woman at the other side of the room.

"Hello, dear. Is there something I can help you with?"

"Uh, yes, actually." Sakura said in a kind tone as she approached the woman, "I was wondering if you could repair a necklace for me." She reached the counter the woman was sitting behind, reached into her bag, and put the fragments of Naruto's necklace.

The woman grabbed a few pieces and studied them closely. Then, collected the rest of the pieces, "Hmm…this will be a difficult job, but I think I can manage to pull it off."

Sakura sighed in relief, "Oh, thank you so much, ma-am. That necklace belongs to a friend of mine who was hurt during our last mission. It's one of his most treasured possessions. He never takes it off."

The woman looked at Sakura, then looked back down at the necklace, "I see. You know, I lost my fiancé on a mission long ago, just shortly after he asked for my hand in marriage. Do you see your friend as someone you could possibly hold feelings for?"

Sakura blushed slightly and scratched her cheek as she rolled her eyes to look at the ground, "Er…well…it's a little early, but…maybe. I won't deny it's possible."

The woman smiled, "Ah! To be young again! Yes, I think I can repair your friend's necklace. If not, I'll see if I could make a duplicate for it. I'm sure your friend would appreciate a beautiful girl like you doing something like this for him."

Sakura blushed at the woman's kind words, "Thank you, Ma-am. If you don't mind me asking…how long do you think it will take you to fix it?"

The woman stood from her chair and started walking to the back, "Oh, it shouldn't take too long. A day or two, I'd recon. However, it might be better just for you to wait until the end of the week. It should be ready by that point in time." She disappeared behind the beads she had hanging from the door seal for a moment then came back out, "I'll keep it stored away until you come back. Thank you for coming."

Sakura shook her head, "No, thank _you_! You have no idea what this will mean to my friend. Thank you a thousand times over."

The woman smiled kindly at Sakura and watched as she walked out of the store.

Roughly half an hour later, Sakura met up with Ino and Hinata who were sitting at a table under an umbrella outside the mall.

"It's about time you got here, Sakura. What took you so long?" Ino asked.

"I had to make a different stop." Sakura sad as she claimed a seat next to Ino, "Turns out there was a different store I could go to and have the necklace repaired for a fraction of what I would have originally paid."

"Oh, wow, really!? Talk about a lucky break!" Ino said in excitement.

"So are you two ready to head inside?" Sakura asked.

"Oh, we were born ready." Ino said.

Hinata nodded in agreement.

"Alright then, swimming store, here we come!" Ino shouted.

"Yeah! Swim- wait, wha-" Sakura didn't get a chance to finish, as Ino grabbed the back of her shirt and pulled her and Hinata into the mall, practically dragging them along the ground.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 **Recovery**

A few hours had passed, and Ino, Sakura and Hinata were still at the mall. They had cleared a number of stores, but still had a long way to go. In the meantime, they decided it was time to take a break for a while so they spent some time in the food court.

"Geeze, Sakura, you think you could slow down a bit?" Ino asked, amazed at how fast Sakura's been going through the stores, "I can hardly keep up, and I'm an expert at this stuff compared to you two."

"Haha! Or so you think!" Sakura said back, "Maybe I come here more often than you, and you just don't know it."

Ino smirked, "Oh, please! I'd only believe that if I saw a pig fly by my window."

Sakura giggled and took a sip of a smoothie she'd bought just shortly before they sat down. Once she finished sipping, she looked at Ino and said, "I could arrange that, you know. Don't forget who you're talking to now."

Ino rolled her eyes and rested her elbows on the table, "You know…it's been quite a while since we've hung out like this. I kind of miss the old strip mall, though."

Sakura nodded in agreement, "Yeah, that was a cool place. The food was awesome, and it was closer to our district than this new mall. It's still pretty nice, though."

Ino nodded, "True. I'm not going to argue with that."

Hinata only sat in silence while listening to the conversation between Ino and Sakura, enjoying her own smoothie.

Ino sighed and looked at Sakura, "Hey, Sakura, do you mind if I ask you something?"

"Sure. I don't see a reason why not." Sakura said, taking another drink of her smoothie.

"Well, it's about what Kiba brought up earlier." Ino said, making Sakura immediately stop sipping her smoothie, "Do you…have feelings for Naruto? I mean, he did have a point that you're being nicer than usual."

Sakura remained silent for a few seconds as she thought about the question and how she'd answer it. "Well, to be honest…no. Not really." She said after a while, "I won't deny that it's possible I could come to like him more in the future, it's just that…I've come to realize that I've really been taking him for granted, and I feel really guilty about it. After this whole ordeal I've come to realize that he may not be around forever."

Ino stared into Sakura's eyes for any trace of a lie, but couldn't see anything that would give a lie away. "Hmm…well, it's nice that you're willing to be a little more open with him now at least."

"What do you mean by that? I was open with him before." Sakura said.

"Yeah. About as open as a welded shut steel door." Ino said, sticking her tongue out at Sakura.

Sakura rolled her eyes and shook her head, then looked back at Ino, "What? What do you think I should do to be more open, then?"

"Let him take you on a date." Ino said almost immediately.

"Wha-what?! I don't think so. Have you seen his eating habits?" Sakura asked.

"Have you seen yours?" Ino said back, "Honestly, Sakura, why not give him a chance? After all, it'd be a good use of those coupons you got from Ichiraku."

Sakura opened her mouth to say something but realized Ino had a point. She thought for a few moments before saying, "Yeah, I guess that's true. But still. Me and Naruto? I think I'll pass."

"Why? What's wrong with him?" Io asked.

Sakura stared at Ino with a blank face, a little caught off guard, "I…I…I just don't see him that way."

Ino rolled her eyes and shook her head, then rested her chin in both her palms, "I don't know, I think you two would make a pretty cute couple. You can't deny Naruto's attractive. Not only that, he's super friendly and fun to be around. I don't see what your problem is."

"He's a pervert!" Sakura said, "Have you seen what he does around the hot springs?"

Ino smirked again, "And that makes him different from other boys because…? Besides, both his mentors are perverts themselves."

"Uh…well, yeah, I guess that's true. I can't argue with that." Sakura said, "But still. If I agree to take him on a date will you just stop the topic?"

"Yes"

"Okay, I'll let him take me on a date when he feels up to it, then. But nothing more than that!" Sakura said.

"It's a deal." Ino said. She took the first sip of her drink before thinking of another topic, "So are there any other gifts you might get for Naruto?"

Sakura thought for a moment, then looked at Ino, "Well…maybe. There is a chance he may have to stay in the hospital for a while after all. I might make a trip to his house and bring him something. Like a few pictures or something."

Ino nodded, "Mmm…that'd be good. If he's open for visitors tomorrow, I'd like to bring him some flowers. Any idea what kind I should bring?"

"Oh, just bring anything. I don't think Naruto cares too much about flower types." Sakura said, "He is a boy after all, and it's not 'manly' for a guy to like flowers, you know?"

Ino laughed, "Well, it's the thought that counts, though, right? Maybe I'll just bring a bunch of Sakura flowers."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "Trying to make it seem like I brought them, aren't you?"

"Well it was worth a shot." Ino said, "Anyway, I'm ready to get back to it whenever you're ready."

"Alright, let me and Hinata finish our drinks before we continue again." Sakura said before taking several big sips of her smoothie.

Later on, as the girls walked out of the mall, they were met with unbearable heat mixed with the humidity from the storm that passed a few hours ago.

"Gah! Who turned off the air conditioner?" Ino asked, covering her eyes from the suns' reflections off the buildings.

"Yeah, no kidding! What happened to that nice weather we had when we first went in?" Sakura asked, covering her eyes, "I guess it's kind of ironic the first thing we bought were new swimming suits."

Ino's eyes widened and she pulled Sakura to her, "Sakura! You're a genius!"

Completely caught off guard, Sakura blinked at Ino with a blank face, "Uh…why?"

"Because my house has a swimming pool in the back!" Ino said, "We can have a swimming party, and invite everyone over! It'll be fun!"

Sakura smiled and took a step back from Ino, giving her some space, "Yeah, I agree. How big is the pool?"

"Oh, it's nothing specifically special, but hey. A poll's a pool." Ino said, "My vote: We head straight to my place and get out of this heat for a while, then spread the word that we're having a pool party."

"It certainly beats going back home." Sakura said, thinking back to the discussion she'd had with her mother in the past, "And it'd make for another thing to talk to Naruto about when he wakes up."

"That's the spirit!" Ino said. She looked over to Hinata, who they somehow didn't forget was with them from how quiet she'd been. "So, Hinata, are you up for it?"

Hinata looked at Ino, smiled and nodded, "Sure. It sounds like fun. I'll got get Kiba and Shino right away."

Sakura and Ino nodded, and watched as she ran off in a random direction to find her squad.

"Well, I guess it's just you and me now." Sakura said, turning to face Ino. Let's get to your place as soon as possible. This heat is killing me."

"Want to help me set everything up when we get there?" Ino asked. They both started walking in the direction of Ino's house.

"Nah. I was planning on relaxing on the couch, drinking a nice iced glass of water while I watched you slave in the back yard." Sakura said, making a funny face at Ino.

"Hmph! Somehow I knew that was going to be your response." Ino replied.

Walking through the front door of Ino's place, Sakura and Ino both collapsed onto the nearest piece of furniture and took full advantage of the air conditioner. They were both panting heavily from the heat and waving their hands in front of their faces, trying to cool themselves down as much as possible.

"Man, this is as hot as its been for a long time now. Last summer wasn't anywhere _near_ as hot as it is today. It had to top 100 out there." Ino said.

"I actually looked at the thermometer as we walked in. It's 95 degrees out there." Sakura said.

"And to think it's only April!" Ino said, "July is going to be fun, never mind August."

Sakura laughed, "Well, you know what they say about Mother Nature."

Ino smirked, released a deep sigh, and wiped some sweat off her forehead, "How about a glass of water?"

Sakura nodded, "Sure. I think I'm going to make a quick trip to the bathroom, though."

Ino nodded, stood from her chair, and proceeded to the kitchen where she put some ice in two glasses and filled them to the top with water while Sakura went behind her to the bathroom just down the hall from the kitchen and pantry.

A few minutes later, Sakura came out of the bathroom and saw Ino relaxing in the same piece of furniture she was sitting in before and drinking her glass of water. She made her way over to where she was sitting before, and saw Ino had placed her glass on the coffee table in front of her. She collapsed in the chair again and took several sips of water,

"Ah! Water has never tasted so good!" She said, throwing her head back, trying to relax even more.

"Yeah, no kidding." Ino said, "The pool's already fairly clean, by the way. I looked while you were in the bathroom. We just need to clean some leaves out and prepare any floaty toys we might want."

"That sounds good." Sakura said, taking another sip of water, "I can't even remember the last time I went swimming. It's been a while. How deep does the pool get?" She asked curiously.

"About eight foot." Ino said, "So that means no diving."

"Hmm…that's not bad." She let out a depressed sigh as she continued, "It's a shame Naruto won't be here, though."

Ino smirked a laugh, "True. He's always the life of the party. He, Kiba, Lee, and Choji…what would we do without them?"

"It'd be pretty boring, that's for sure." Sakura laughed, "Well, I guess we may as well go ahead and get the pool ready. After that we can watch TV or something."

Ino nodded, "Yeah, let's just get it out of the way."

A few hours passed and Sakura and Ino were doing some finishing touches before everyone arrived. There was a knock at the door, and Ino ran to answer it. "Oh, hey, Hinata, Ten-Ten. You guys are early."

"Yeah, well, we wanted to get here and change before the boys got here." Ten-Ten said. She looked around at Ino's house and took in the environment. "You have a nice place, Ino. I'm kind of jealous of you."

Ino laughed and stood aside as she let them enter, "It was only 500-000 Yin, too." Ino said.

Ten-Ten spun around to Ino and gave her a dumbfounded look, "You've got to be kidding. That's a steal for this place!"

"Isn't it, though?" Ino checked to see if there was anyone else coming, and closed the door behind her once she was sure there wasn't anyone else coming. "Well, ladies, make yourselves at home. Would you like anything to drink or eat? Sakura and I prepared a few things."

"Oh, no, I'm good, but thanks." Ten-Ten said as she claimed a chair.

"What about you, Hinata?" Ino asked.

"Um…just a glass of water would be fine, thank you." Hinata said, claiming a place on the couch.

Ino nodded and proceeded to the kitchen where Sakura was finishing making the sandwiches, "Aaaaaand….done!" She said as she placed the final sandwich at the top of the pile of a plate of sandwiches.

"Hey, nice work, Sakura. It was a good idea to make a few things like this. Good job." Ino said as she walked by and started filling Hinata's glass with water.

"Well, I know how you have trouble thinking of simple things like this, so I thought I'd pitch in." Sakura said. The next thing she knew, she could feel something really cold sliding down her back. She screamed and started jumping around as she tried to get whatever it was out of her shirt. There was a bang on the floor, and Sakura quietly sighed in relief. She glared at Ino, who was tossing an ice cube up and down in her right hand,

"Go ahead. Insult the person in charge of the ice maker. That's a great idea." Ino said.

Sakura rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Yeah, yeah, just shut up." She turned to Ten-Ten and Hinata and waved at them, "Hey, guys, what's up?"

"Oh, not a lot. Just ready to have a good time." Ten-Ten said.

"Yeah, you and me both." Sakura said. She walked over to her bag she got from the mall and picked it up. "Well, I guess I'm going to go ahead and change. There's another bathroom down the hall to your left, Ten-Ten."

"Oh, okay. Thanks for telling me." Ten-Ten said, looking down the hall.

Sakura nodded and proceeded to the bathroom she went in before, and closed the door behind her.

Ten-Ten stood from her chair, "Well, I guess I'll get changed, too." She said as she started making her way to the other bathroom.

A few minutes later, Sakura walked out of the bathroom. She came up to Ino and spun around, "So, how do I look?"

Ino's jaw dropped and she stared at Sakura in amazement, "W-wow, Sakura! You're…absolutely beautiful! Boy, Naruto's _really_ going to regret not being here now."

Sakura blushed slightly and started preparing a few other snacks. She was wearing a hot pink bikini that matched her hair perfectly, and really brought out the color of her emerald green eyes. Her bra held her breasts in place firmly, and almost promised not to move around if she thought about what she was doing. She was also wearing a matching skirt that came with the outfit over her panties that really showed the rhythm of her hips. She was also barefoot. "So how much longer 'till the boys get here?" She asked.

"They should be here any minute now." Ino said just before there was a knock at the door, "And speak of the devil." She ran over to the door and opened it to find Kiba, Lee, Shikamaru, Neji, and Choji all standing in their swimming trunks with bags of extra clothes in their hands.

"Hey, guys, we were just talking about you. Come on in." Ino said. She stood aside and let the boys enter single file. Ino closed the door behind them, and offered them some food and drink as they claimed their places. Not long after they'd eaten or had a quick drink, Ino officially started the pool party.

It was now approaching the later hours of the evening, and the clock was just getting ready to strike 11:00 P.M. everyone was enjoying themselves, and Sakura had all but forgotten about Naruto. For the first time since she left the hospital, Sakura could actually really say she was enjoying herself. She and her friends engaged in numerous games such as Marco Polo, tag, and breath holding contests. On land, they had played limbo, had lip singing battles, and did whatever sounded like fun to them. However, the party came to a screeching halt as a white cloud of smoke appeared on the pool. A few seconds passed, and Kakashi was revealed.

Sakura, a little confused at first, ran over to Kakashi, "Kakashi Sensei? What are you doing…" Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth as she gasped when she realized there was only one reason that could have brought him to her location. She started breathing heavily and looked at Kakashi. She swallowed a lump in her throat, and when she had the courage, she asked, "H-how is Naruto's condition."

Kakashi silently stared at Sakura, then turned his attention to the other young ninja who were just as eagerly waiting for his answer just as much as Sakura was.

The air grew eerily still, and Sakura could feel her heart beating against her chest as she waited anxiously for the answer. After wat felt like an eternity, Kakashi smiled through his mask at Sakura and said, "Sakura, I have only just received word from Shizune. Tsunade just finished surgery on Naruto, and he is expected to live."

Sakura's stomach almost went up her throat. She remained speechless for a moment before her lips began to curl into a smile, and eventually a big grin. Her eyes started to sparkle, and tears of joy were forming in her eyes. Excitement was building in her, and she couldn't hold it in. She jumped as high as she could raising her first in the air, and cheered loudly in excitement.

The others clapped and cheered loudly with big smiles on their faces, and Ino and Ten-Ten ran and hugged Sakura while some of the boys patter her on the back.

"That a boy, Naruto!

"That's our village knucklehead!"

"I knew Tsunade would save him!"

Once Sakura had settled down a little, Kakashi approached her, "Tsunade also asked for your presence in Naruto's room right away."

Sakura's cheerfulness slowly came to stop as she noticed the urgency in Kakashi's eye. "Uh…okay, just let me grab some clothes." Sakura said. She raced inside Ino's house to grab the skirt that came with her bikini, strapping it around her waist as she ran back outside and threw a sleeveless dark pink tank-top over her upper body that ended just above her bellybutton. Kakashi then started jumping from building to building with Sakura following close behind.

After several minutes, Sakura and Kakashi arrived at the hospital lobby where a nurse was waiting for them. "Sakura Haruno?" The nurse asked as they approached her.

Sakura and Kakashi nodded.

"I need you to follow me right now." The nurse said. She then started towards Naruto's room in a quick pace with Sakura and Kakashi following close behind.

A few minutes later, Sakura and Kakashi arrived to Naruto's room. They opened the door and saw Tsunade sitting beside Naruto's bed, and rubbing his forehead with a sad look. "Uh, lady Tsunade? You wanted to see me?" Sakura asked as she took a few more steps into the room.

Tsunade looked up at Sakura with tears in her eyes, which instantly made Sakura scared about what was about to happen, and she tried to prepare herself to hear the worst. She took the seat next to Naruto's bed on the other side of the bed from Tsunade.

"Sakura…we need to talk." Tsunade said. Tears started to slide down her cheeks, and she held Naruto's hand for a few seconds before looking up at Sakura.

Sakura, seeing the fear in Tsunade's eyes, started to worry even more. She glanced down at Naruto, then looked at Tsunade again. "Wha…what's wrong?"

Tsunade remained silent for a moment, then started talking, "I'm not going to beat around the bush with this, Sakura. The surgery was successful at keeping Naruto alive…but…I'm afraid the damage was worse than I originally thought." Sakura's eyes widened in fear as she continued, "Naruto's days as a ninja…are over."

Sakura's jaw dropped, and she sat in her seat speechless. Tears formed in her eyes, and she started shaking her head, "No! That can't be right! That…that's impossible!"

Tsunade looked down at Naruto again, "I wish that were truly so." She said before she started crying herself.

Sakura grabbed Naruto's hand and held it to her chest, " _This isn't happening! This cannot be happening!"_ She screamed in her mind. She stared at Naruto's face as she continued in her thoughts, " _How can this be? Naruto no longer a ninja? This has to be a nightmare!_ "

Tsunade's voice took Sakura out of her thoughts, "I won't lie, Sakura. I brought you here for a vote. If Naruto wakes up and we tell him he'll no longer be a ninja…how do you think he'll take it? All of his ambitions, dreams, and hope he has of the future…will be gone."

Sakura wiped the tears out of her eyes, and she looked at Tsunade, "What do you mean by "vote"?" She asked.

Tsunade reached for something on the table hidden behind her, then showed Sakura a shot that she knew too well.

Sakura's eyes widened and she looked at Tsunade with a ghostly pale face, "You…you can't be serious. You're suggesting we put Naruto to sleep?"

Tsunade nodded, "Yes. I couldn't stand seeing Naruto suffer the way he will if we let him live. Now would be the perfect time to do it. He's unconscious, and won't see it coming. He won't suffer from fear, pain, or sorrow anymore. Shizune and Kakashi have already voted for a yes, but I want to make sure you're okay with it first."

Sakura turned around and shot an angry glare at Kakashi, who just stood in place as if he was expecting Sakura to react the way she did. Sakura opened her mouth to yell at him, but she was so angry and scared that she just turned back to Tsunade. "How do you know Naruto won't make a recovery? You said the same thing about Lee years ago, and he still managed to recover. Who's to say Naruto won't do the same? No. I will not vote to end Naruto's life without giving him a chance."

Tsunade stared at Sakura, and could see she was very serious about her vote. She sighed and put she shot away, "Very well. You're right. I had forgotten about Lee's injuries after the Chunin Exams all those years ago." She sighed as she continued, "Okay, we'll give Naruto a chance to see how he'd take to a new life, or if he can recover. I just hope you can live with seeing Naruto in the state ha may be in."

"I'll be here for him for that." Sakura replied in a firm tone, "I can't believe this was an option you three came up with! How could you?!"

Tsunade stood from her chair and looked down at Sakura, "Sakura, it's not like it was an easy choice for us to come up with. We just didn't want to see Naruto suffer the way we all think he will if he can't recover. It's not like we –"

"Lady, Hokage! Lady, Hokage!" A man came running into Naruto's room, panting out of breath.

Tsunade turned her attention to the man, "What is it? I'm a little occupied at the moment."

The man took a moment to catch his breath and stood at attention as he started speaking, "Ma-am, we have a visitor requesting your presence at one."

Tsunade rolled her eyes, and rested her hands on her hips as she spoke in an annoyed tone, "Do they honestly not realize what time it is? Tell them to come see me tomorrow morning."

"Forgive me, ma-am, but this is a visitor you'll want to see as soon as possible." The man replied.

Tsunade's eyes widened in curiosity, "Are they now? Very well, go back to my office and tell them I'll be there shortly."

"Yes, ma-am!" The man saluted, and ran out of the room.

" _Who could I possibly be that interested in at this un-godly hour?_ " Tsunade thought to herself. She took a step forward, but then turned to Sakura, who was still holding Naruto's hand. "Oh, Sakura." She said, catching Sakura's attention, "Just so you know, Naruto will be open for visitors starting tomorrow morning. I'll also be placing him under your personal care."

Sakura, though she was still angry at Tsunade, managed to smile and bow her head, "Thank you, ma-am. I'll make sure he's taken well care of."

Tsunade nodded in approval of Sakura's response, and left the room, followed by Kakashi.

Once she was sure they were gone, Sakura turned her attention back to Naruto. She held his hand tightly, and gently rubbed is chest, "I'm sorry it's come to this, Naruto." She said in a soft comforting voice, "But I promise you this: If it really turns out you can't be a ninja anymore, I'll stand at your side and do whatever I have to in order to help you through that phase. I promise I won't abandon you."

She remained by Naruto's side for nearly half an hour before deciding to head home. However, as she was leaving, she heard Naruto start moaning. She turned her attention back to Naruto, and watched as he slowly opened his eyes a little.

"Sa…Sak…ura…"

Sakura immediately ran over to Naruto's side and grabbed his hand, "I'm here, Naruto. Everything's going to be fine."

"I…m…s..o..rr…y"

Sakura held her index finger against Naruto's mouth, "Shhhhh. There's nothing you need to be sorry about." She said in a low caring whisper. She wiped a tear that was sliding down his cheek with her thumb, and closed his eyes. He then fell right back asleep, and Sakura sat down in the chair again.

" _If anyone should be sorry…it's me."_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 **A Stranger Among Us**

Returning from the hospital to see a visitor, Tsunade made her way up the stars of the Hokage Building to her office. She walked along with Shizune, and had one of the random Leaf Ninja go get the visitor. The ninja saluted and ran off while Tsunade made herself comfortable behind her desk with Shizune standing beside her.

A few minutes later, the ninja Tsunade had sent to retrieve the visitor came back to the office, followed by a man Tsunade had never seen before.

"So, you're the one that requested my presence?" She asked. The man was tall and wore a hooded dark green robe with a black mask that covered his face, making it impossible to get any form of identification, and there was a certain aura of danger in the room, telling Tsunade this guy meant business. "Who are you, and what do you want?" Tsunade continued.

"My name isn't important, and I doubt you'd be able to pronounce it anyway." The man said, making Tsunade give him an angry glare, "But for the sake of identification, you may call me Night Hawk."

"Fine. What do you want?" Tsunade asked again.

"I come on behalf of my organization. There is a certain boy in this village that we have particular interests in. It is rumored that he is one of the nine demon children on this continent." Night Hawk said.

Tsunade's eyes widened, and she started to grit her teeth, "Why are you looking for him? Are you some kind of secret agent for the Akatsuki?"

"I know nothing of this "Akatsuki" group, but I can assure you my organization is far more dangerous." Night Hawk said.

"Why? Who are you?" Tsunade asked.

"I am a pre-ranking member of the Seventeen Assassins from Atlassia, or as you call it, the Land of the Unknown." Night Hawk replied.

Instantly, the air grew still as Tsunade, Shizune, and anyone else in the room stood or sat in silence. There was an aura of awe, fear, and amazement all in one, and Tsunade's mind was racing in all kinds of directions.

"Land of the Unknown?" Shizune asked. She looked down at Tsunade as she continued, "Lady Tsunade, I've never heard of this place. What does it mean?"

Tsunade sighed and sat back in her chair, "I'm not surprised you haven't heard of it. Very few people know even a little about this place."

"Care to enlighten me?" Shizune asked.

Tsunade sighed again, and tried to think of a way to begin, "Well, I'm no expert. My knowledge of the place is very limited, but I do know a little. No one from outside the country has ever set foot on its shores. The land is a massive continent with a population to match it. They're completely independent of trade, and have the strongest economy on the planet…as well as the deadliest military force as well."

"But what about the Seventeen Assassins?" Shizune asked.

"If anyone knows about the Land of the Unknown, they've at least heard of the Seventeen." Tsunade said, "They're an ancient and deadly order of assassins, and many are capable of using magic, controlling the elements, and some may even be immortal. Compare them to the Akatsuki, and the Akatsuki come back as a very, very bad joke. Even pre-ranking members could give a group of Akatsuki a run for their money."

Shizune's eyes widened and she looked back at Night Hawk, " _You've got to be kidding! They're that powerful?_ " She thought to herself. She remained silent for a few moments, then asked, "So why are you after Naruto?"

Night Hawk turned to Shizune and said, "The simple answer is this: An enemy the Atlassian military believed to have defeated long ago has suddenly started rebuilding its strength. The Agroneese are coming back."

"Agroneese?" Shizune asked.

"A demonic cult that follows the demonic lord of fear, Agromon. Their beliefs or religion is that the people they kill in this life will be the souls they torture in the next when they become demons themselves." Night Hawk said, making Shizune's eyes widen in fear, "But that's not the only problem." He continued, "It is also in their belief that at one point after they're killed the first time, they'll rise a second time in their demonic forms. At that point, the only way to kill them is to stab a knife through their brain."

Shizune looked down at Tsunade in awe and fear, then looked back at Night Hawk, "So why do you want Naruto?" She asked.

"We believe these demon children could be called to the Agroneese against their will." Night Hawk said, "Having any of these people side with the Agroneese could prove to be a major set-back for the Unknown military, and thus, we want to keep them secure. However, there are other reasons I came her myself. I believe an Agroneese spirit has already made its way here, and is seeking this boy out. It will start looking for those closest to him, and will try to possess their body or spirit. And right now, a female ninja who goes by the name of Sakura Haruno is in the most immediate danger."

Tsunade's jaw dropped, and she stood from her desk, "You mean one of those things is already in the village?!"

Night Hawk nodded, "And it's only because of that I was sent here. If it were just Naruto we were after, it may have just been a squad of Honor Guard or some other elite faction of the Unknown Military. This Agroneese spirit will not stop haunting Sakura until it gets what it wants, which is why I'll be taking her and Kakashi with me."

Tsunade and Shizune looked at each other, then looked at night Hawk, "But…Naruto's in the hospital right now, and we're afraid that he won't be able to leave for quite some time."

"The longer he stays here, the greater his risk becomes." Night Hawk said, "I know some ways to protect him, Kakashi and Sakura against this spirit, but it won't last forever. Naruto needs to be on his feet by the beginning of next week."

"But that only leave five days!" Tsunade shouted, "He needs more time!"

"He'll have to make due." Night Hawk said. Without warning, he then disappeared into a cloud of black smoke and vanished from the room, leaving Tsunade and Shizune speechless. After a few moments, Shizune looked down at Tsunade,

"So what do you want to do?" Shizune asked.

Tsunade sighed in anger and sat back in her chair, "We have little choice in this matter. If there's a chance Naruto, Sakura or Kakashi could be possessed by some demonic entity, then we need to get them out of here as soon as possible. The fact that a pre-ranking member of the Seventeen wants us to do this is also fairly damning. If he wants the entirety of Team Seven to join him we don't have a choice but to comply with him."

"But…what about the threat of war on our borders? It'll be tough without those three here." Shizune said.

Tsunade sighed and closed her eyes as she tried to think, "Yes, things will be tough without Naruto, but seeing as how he may no longer be a ninja, we'd have to deal with that as it is. Sakura and Kakashi will be losses to the village as well, but it's better the Land of the Unknown have them. If Naruto were to be possessed by a member of the Agroneese, things really could turn into a nightmare. Though, granted that even at full strength, he's no match for a member of the Seventeen, or even higher rankings of the pre-ranking members."

"And Night Hawk seemed to be fairly high ranking." Shizune said.

Tsunade nodded, "Yeah." She turned to look out the window at the village, "I wonder what he has planned for those three. He didn't even say where they were going."

Shizune yawned and stretched, "Well, Lady Tsunade, I think I'm going to turn in. If we need to get Naruto on his feet in the next five days…we may have some long shifts ahead of us."

Tsunade nodded in agreement, "Do you think we should tell Sakura or Kakashi what's going on?"

Shizune stopped waling and turned to face Tsunade, "Mmm…probably not. They say that ignoring hauntings is the best way to protect yourself, and telling Sakura there's something after her would more than likely freak her out. You know how she is."

Tsunade smirked a laugh, "Too true. However, we should probably tell her Naruto needs to be on his feet in five days, or at least able to use crutches."

"Why not use a wheel chair?" Shizune asked.

"Because I have a feeling they're going to be going off road." Tsunade said,

"Well, we'll think about it tomorrow. Good night, Tsunade."

"Yeah, rest well, Shizune. I'll see you tomorrow."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 **Haunted**

Opening her eyes to the sound of her alarm clock going off, Sakura rolled over, and shielded her eyes from the sunlight reflecting off the walls of her room. She lay in bed motionless for a few seconds, watching the blades of her ceiling fan spin around in endless circles. Once her eyes had adjusted, and she felt ready to prepare for her day, she stood from her bed and proceeded to do her morning routine.

After she'd finished breakfast, Sakura grabbed her medical supplies and made her way for the door. But just before she grabbed the door knob, there was a knock. She opened the door, and much to her surprise, Shizune was standing on the other side.

"Oh, hey, Shizune? What's up?" Sakura asked, still in shock to see Shizune of all people on her porch.

Immediately, Shizune grabbed her hand, and pulled Sakura with her, "I'm sorry, Sakura, but I need you to come with me right now."

"W-why? Where's the fire?" Sakura asked, trying to keep pace with Shizune.

Shizune sighed and looked at Sakura, "It's difficult to explain, but we need to get Naruto on his feet by the end of next week."

"By the end of next week?!" Sakura asked in shock and disbelief, "In Naruto's condition, that's asking for a lot, even if we had two Tsunades."

Shizune nodded in agreement, "I know, but trust me. There's a new chain of events happening now."

Sakura blinked at Shizune with a blank face, then looked ahead of her to watch where she was going, " _What's that supposed to mean?_ " She thought.

Arriving at the hospital, Sakura and Shizune rushed to Naruto's room where Tsunade and a number of other nurses were standing over Naruto's bed.

"Now remember, we only have five days to get this done." Tsunade said, "Everyone works double shifts from this point on! No exceptions!"

The nurses nodded and immediately went to work on Naruto. Taking blood pressure, drawing and reading charts, and doing whatever else they could possibly do.

Completely confused by what was going on, Sakura approached Tsunade, "Uh…excuse me, Lady Hokage, but what's going on?"

Tsunade, who was now reading a graph, glanced at Sakura, then returned her attention to the clipboard in her hand, "There's been a change of plan, Sakura. A new and unexpected turn of events has come, and we need Naruto on his feet within the next four days."

Sakura looked over at Naruto, who was sleeping soundly, which made her happy, then looked at Tsunade, "Is that even possible? That's asking a lot, even for you given Naruto's current condition. Wouldn't it be easier just to let him sit this mission out and let his body recover by itself?"

Tsunade turned her attention to Sakura and said, "Believe me, Sakura. If it we had the time to allow that to happen, I'd allow Naruto to stay here under your personal care until his body got itself sorted out. However, your new mission will require Naruto to be on his feet…or at least on crutches."

Sakura's confusion only continued to grow, "Why? Why can't you just tell me what's going on?" She asked in a voice mixed with confusion and frustration.

"Because I'm not the one who can explain things in detail." Tsunade said, "Whether or not we get Naruto on his feet in the next few days may be irrelevant. There's a force in this village now that requires Team Seven accompany him on a journey."

"What kind of journey?" Sakura asked.

Tsunade paused for a moment, looked at her clipboard again, and then rolled her eyes back up at Sakura, "A journey to the Unknown." She said. "Now, we have no time to waste. There's a lot of things we need to do."

Sakura, though she was still majorly confused about the conversation, nodded, and ran over to Naruto where she did as Tsunade or Shizune instructed.

Many Hours Later

Having worked a double shift, Sakura slowly made her way home, exhausted from using up so much of her Chakra reserves. It was nearly three in the morning, and she had to be back again at eight to finish what seemed like an impossible task.

" _Man, what's up with Lady Tsunade all of a sudden? She's never like this_." Sakura thought to herself, " _If she's so concerned about Naruto, why doesn't she make some…Shadow Clones…to…"_ She slapped herself on the forehead, "Are you kidding me?! I think of that _now_ when it's practically no use?" She groaned in frustration, "Oh, well, I can at least bring up the idea tomorrow. Tsunade would surely have enough Chakra to do this, right?" She continued to think about new ideas the rest of the way to her house.

When she reached her house, Sakura found a note on the door left behind by her mother,

 _Sakura,_

 _Something's come up. I'll be gone for a few days."_

 _Love, Mom._

Sakura, still angry about the last conversation she'd had with her mother, crumpled the paper, and retrieved the spare house key from under a loose board on the porch. She then unlocked the door, and made her way directly to the kitchen to prepare a quick meal.

Once her meal was finished, she proceeded to the Dining Room where she sat down and started eating, but she was interrupted by a loud bang in the room above her. She jumped out of her chair and armed herself with a Kunai Knife, fearing there was a burglar in her house. "Who's there?!" She called out.

No response.

"I said who's there?!" Sakura yelled again.

Still, there was no response.

Angry and tired from her last shift, Sakura wasn't about to put up with the headache of some burglar taking some of her treasured items, and slowly started to make her way up the stairs. When she got to the top of the stairs, she flipped the light switch to the hall, but the light burnt out.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" Sakura whispered in an annoyed tone. She stared down the almost pitch black hallway for a moment, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness, and proceeded, ready for anyone to jump on her, or have things the other way around.

"I'm not going to call out again! I'm armed, and will protect myself by whatever means necessary! If you come out now I promise not to harm you. It'd be a lot easier for us both if you just cooperated!" She hollered.

Still, there was no response.

Sakura continued down the hall to the room she heard the crash from, and prepared to storm in. She took a deep breath, and quickly kicked the door open, only to find a completely empty room, leaving her very confused.

"What the? I could've swore I heard a crash up here." She said while scratching her head. She skimmed the floor to see if anything had just fallen off a shelf, but didn't find anything. She looked around for a few more seconds, then started to leave. " _Hmm…weird._ "

Before she got to the door, it slammed shut in front of her, making her jump back screaming. She could then hear the sound of someone running down the stairs, and she immediately gave chase. She jumped over the railing at the end of the hall, and landed on the ground floor.

"Okay, there are only so many places you can hide now. Come out, and I promise not to harm you." She said, checking behind her as she walked around the house.

Still, there was no answer, but this time, she heard something come from the basement.

She ran to the basement door, opened it, and saw nothing but pitch blackness. The air grew unnervingly cold and still, and Sakura suddenly had a bad feeling in her gut. Ignoring her better judgement, she turned the lights on, and slowly descended down the stairs. Once she reached the bottom, she armed herself with another Kunai Knife, and prepared for what she assumed would be an ambush.

"Last. Warning." Sakura said slowly, "Come out, and I will _not_ use force."

She was answered with nothing bus silence, but the atmosphere was growing more uncomfortable. Sakura walked further into the basement, but suddenly, the door at the top of the stairs slammed shut, and the one light in the basement started flickering madly. The air grew almost unbreathable, and Sakura saw a shadow move in the corner of her eye. Wanting nothing to do with what was going on, she ran as fast as she could for the stairs, but heard the lightbulb explode, darkening the entire basement. She moved as fast as she could up the stairs, but could sense there was another presence right behind her all the way up, reaching out to grab her. When she reached the top of the stairs, she busted through the door, slammed it shut behind her, and ran outside as quick as she could.

Sakura was now leaning on her knees, trying to catch her breath. She looked back at her house with a terrified and confused face, "What the _hell_ was that?!" She yelled, not caring if she woke up the entire neighborhood.

She waited a few minutes to make sure that whatever it was that was chasing her up the stairs wasn't going to be coming out. The air was normal outside, but she could sense there was definitely something…otherworldly coming from her house. She took a few steps back to look in the upstairs window, but couldn't see anything. She then looked at the main entrance again, and saw the lights were starting to flicker in the kitchen, then the hallway, then she could hear footsteps going up the stairs with a shadow on the wall.

Going with her better judgement this time, Sakura slowly backed away from her house, and ran towards Ino's place, leaving the door to her house wide open.

At Ino place, Sakura lightly tapped on the window of Ino's room a few times, and after several tries, Ino finally pushed the curtains aside, rubbing her eyes, and opened the window, 'S-Sakura? What are you doing here?" Ino asked as she yawned.

Sakura sighed and lowered her head, then looked back up at Ino, "It's difficult to explain. Do you mind if I stay here for the night?"

Ino yawned again and nodded, "Sure, but I want an explanation in the morning."

Sakura nodded, and climbed through the window into Ino's room.

Ino walked over to her bedroom closet, grabbed a few sheets, and tossed them to Sakura, "Here. Just find a place on the floor, and I'll throw you a pillow."

Sakura nodded and scouted out the floor for what seemed like a good place. Once she was happy with a spot, she lay the blankets down and prepared her area, while Ino went back to her bed and tossed Sakura a pillow.

Sakura caught the pillow and smiled kindly at Ino, "Thanks a lot, Ino. I owe you."

"Yeah, you do because you woke me from a _really_ nice dream." Ino said, yawning again as she climbed back in bed and closed her eyes.

Sakura chuckled quietly, finished readying her spot, and tried to sleep as best she could.

The following morning, Sakura woke to the sun reflecting off the walls of Ino's room, then suddenly shot her eyes open when she feared she'd over slept. She rolled over to see if Ino was still in bed, and to her relief, she was still sleeping. She quietly stood up and slowly walked over to the table next to Ino's bed to check the time on her alarm clock, and saw it was only 6:30, which left her plenty of time to prepare for another long day at the hospital.

Sakura turned back to her sleeping place and started folding the blankets Ino gave her. She fluffed the pillow again, and put the blankets neatly in Ino's closet. However, before she was able to close the door, something fell to the floor, causing a loud bang, and making Ino rocket to the ceiling.

"Uh…good morning, Ino. Sleep well?" Sakura asked, trying to look as innocent as possible.

Ino, who had concentrated her Chakra on the bottom of her feet, and was standing upside down on the ceiling, crossed her arms and gave Sakura an angry glare. "Really, Sakura? Just…just really? You just can't let me sleep in peace?"

Sakura rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment, "Uh, well, you see, I was trying to –"

"Ah, bu,bu,bu,bu! Not another word!" Ino said before she fell back down to her bed.

Sakura chuckled and searched the ground for whatever it was that fell. When she found it, she put it back in the closet. "Well, I'm sorry for scaring you like that, Ino, I was truly trying to be quiet."

Ino groaned and stood from her bed, "I think you misunderstand the meaning of that word, Sakura. There's quiet as a mouse, then there's quiet as a bull in a China store. You are most definitely the latter." She said as she walked towards Sakura. "Well, since I'm up, I guess I may as well get ready. Would you like some breakfast? I think I still have some burnt toast leftover from yesterday, which is all I'm really inclined to share with you after waking me up at three bloody thirty in the morning!"

Sakura laughed and stood out of Ino's way as she left her room, "Ah, it wasn't _that_ good of a dream."

Ino rolled her eyes and started going down the stars, "It was good enough. I was about to kiss my knight in shining armor, then met your ugly pale white face."

Sakura chuckled and claimed her seat at the dining room table, "Hey, it's better than Choji's isn't?"

Ino remained silent for a few moments as she started preparing things, "To be honest…I can't tell the difference." She finally said, winking at Sakura.

Sakura only remained silent as she gave Ino a deathly stare.

"Oh, come on, Sakura, you know that was a good come back." Ino said.

Sakura smiled and rolled her eyes before resting her cheeks in her palms.

"So why did you come here, anyway?" Ino asked, catching Sakura's attention.

Sakura tried to think of a way she could tell Ino about what happened without sounding crazy, but was unable to think of anything. She looked up at Ino, who was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, leaning against the wall, and said, "To be perfectly honest, Ino…I think my house is haunted."

Ino raised an eyebrow, "Since when are you a believer of the paranormal? You've never believed in ghosts before."

Sakura nodded, "Yeah, I know, but after what happened last night, I think I might change my stance on things."

"Why? What happened?" Ino asked. She walked up to the table, and sat down in the seat across from Sakura.

Sakura sighed, and tried to think back, "I don't really know where to begin. Tsunade, for some reason, wants Naruto on his feet by next Monday. She hasn't told me why, but she's sending Naruto, Kakashi, and I on some kind of mission."

"Isn't it a little early for Naruto to be doing _anything_ that involves him leaving the hospital?" Ino asked.

Sakura nodded, "He's in no condition to move at all, yet Tsunade wants him out of the hospital in another three days. _Three_! I tried telling her that Naruto would be better off left alone and letting his body heal itself, but she wouldn't listen. She sounds almost as if she's paranoid about something."

"Well, let's get back to that in a minute. Continue on about your experience with this ghost." Ino said.

"Oh, right." Sakura paused for a few seconds as she tried the think, "Let's see, after I got back home last night, I was eating a quick meal before I turned in for the night, then I heard a loud bang in the room above me. At first I thought there was a burglar or something in my house, but when I got to the room, there was no one there, and the window was closed. After that, I tried to convince myself something must've just fallen off a shelf, or my mind was playing tricks on me, and leave the room, but the door slammed right in front of me."

Ino's eyes widened, "Are you serious?"

Sakura nodded, "But wait…it gets better. I went into the basement a few minutes later…and the air felt dead. Like, I could hardly breathe. And on top of that, there was something that just didn't feel right about what was going on. Then, all of a sudden, the door at the top of the stairs slammed shut, and the light in the basement started flickering. At that point, I really felt like there was something else down there with me, so I ran for the stairs. The light busted before I got to them, and as I was running, I swear to God I felt something was right behind me. I ran straight out into the street, looked back, and saw a shadow on the wall of the stairs. It was freaky as all Hell."

Ino's eyes were wide, and her mouth was hanging open, "H-holy cow! That _is_ terrifying. I wonder where that thing came from."

"I don't know, but I'm definitely not going back home tonight." Sakura said, shaking her head, "No way. You couldn't pay me enough to set one foot back inside that house."

"You don't think it was all just in your head?" Ino asked.

Sakura glared at Ino and asked, "Do you seriously think I'd be a ninja if I had _that_ kind of imagination? No. I'd be an actress, writer, or have some kind of job like that. I'd make a killing off horror books and movies."

Ino laughed, "I guess that is true. You always were pretty brain dead."

"This is serious, Ino. What am I going to do? I'm not sleeping in a house with a spirit that wants to kill me!" Sakura said.

"And you're not going to." Ino said, "You're more than welcome to stay here with me until Tsunade sends you out on this big mission…whatever it is. You're always welcome here, Sakura."

Sakura smiled, and held Ino's hand, "Thanks, Ino. That's very kind of you."

Ino smiled back, and stood from her chair. "Well, I guess I'll go ahead and fix breakfast. You want to help?"

"Sure. I assume you'll be having White Rice?" Sakura asked.

Ino nodded, "Mmm-hmm. If you want to make that, I'll make the soup and pickled vegetables."

""It's a deal." Sakura said. She stood from her chair, and walked into the kitchen with Ino where they both prepared their breakfasts.

A while later, Sakura made her way into the lobby of the hospital and clocked in. She then proceeded to Naruto's room where Tsunade and Shizune were sitting beside Naruto, who seemed to be a lot better.

"Oh, good morning, Sakura. How are you?" Shizune asked.

I'm okay, thank you." Sakura said, bowing her head slightly at Shizune. She walked up to the end of Naruto's bed, "So how's he doing now?"

Tsunade sighed and rubbed Naruto's forehead, "We made a lot of progress yesterday, and the Nine-Tails is starting to help out a lot, too. As far as his wounds go, he's in decent health, but he still has a ways to go."

Sakura looked at Naruto's face for a few seconds, then looked at Tsunade, "Do you still think his days as a ninja are over?"

Tsunade remained silent for a moment, then turned to Sakura, "It's difficult to tell. When I first saw him, I thought for sure that he was done. But now…if the Nine-Tails continues to do what it's doing, he may yet have a chance. However, that doesn't mean it'll be easy for him."

Sakura sighed in relief, and for once, she was somewhat happy Naruto actually had the Nine-Tails inside of him. She looked at Naruto's face again with her lips curved into a small smile, " _That's the way, Naruto. Keep fighting. I know you can pull through this._ "

"Oh, Sakura, before I forget, I need to know where you stand with medical supplies." Shizune said, catching Sakura's attention.

Sakura thought for a few seconds, then turned to face Shizune, "I think I'm fine for the most part. Aside from Naruto, no one really got hurt on the last mission. A resupply of Morphine couldn't hurt, as well as some new medical tools, though."

Shizune nodded, "Right, I'll see that you're re-supplied right away. You'll need to be in full supply when you go on your next mission."

"Though I doubt you'll be needing it." Tsunade said.

Sakura looked at Tsunade with a blank face, "Why do you say that?" she asked curiously.

"Let's just say you're about to be getting involved in an entirely different game, and leave it at that." Tsunade said, leaving Sakura even more confused. She stood from her chair and started towards the door, then stopped and looked back at Sakura, "Oh, Sakura, since Naruto's in good condition now, you only have to work eight hours today. I want you to spend tomorrow resting, and packing whatever belongings you can't live without. I have a feeling you won't be coming back to the village for quite some time. Maybe even a few years. So be sure to say good-bye to all your friends before you depart."

" _A few years?_ " Sakura thought. Fear started to rush through her body, and she tried to plea with Tsunade, "B-but, what if I don't want to go on this mission? My mother's in bad health, and it would kill me if I wasn't here when she-"

"That's enough Sakura!" Tsunade shouted, silencing Sakura. She stood silent for a moment as she saw tears forming in Sakura's eyes, and turned her whole body to face, "Forgive me, Sakura. But you must understand that there's a higher force here. You're not going on this mission for the Hidden Leaf, but for Naruto, and maybe the whole world. I don't know what you should expect when you leave the village, but do not be ashamed or afraid to leave. And don't worry. I am well aware of your mother's health situation. I will personally over see her treatments from this day forward."

Sakura stood in silence for several seconds, then slowly nodded, not knowing what else to say or do. But at least she wasn't going alone, and she would have Naruto alongside her for the journey, which brought her some comfort. However, she started to become really concerned about the chance that Naruto may not fully recover, and that he may no longer be able to fight."

"Oh, and Sakura." Tsunade said, catching Sakura's attention again, "If you experience any…odd situations, let me or Shizune know immediately, okay?"

Sakura stared at Tsunade with a blank face, " _Odd situations? What's that supposed to mean?_ " She thought to herself. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, and bowed to Tsunade, "Will do, Ma-am."

Tsunade nodded, "Good. I'm leaving Naruto in your hands now, Sakura." She turned away from Sakura, and made her way out of the room with Shizune following close behind. Sakura waited until the door was completely closed before sitting beside Naruto and doing a few minor checkups.

The Hokage Building

Some time had passed since Tsunade and Shizune left Naruto's room and made their way back to the Tsunade's office. Tsunade would be spending the rest of the day signing documents and other papers that ensured the safety of the village and its people. Some documents called for the recruitment of more combat and medical ninja, while other documents gave more income to weapons designers to improve the arsenal the Leaf's ninja would have at their disposal.

Once she finished one pile, Shizune took the final paper and handed it to another ninja who was standing beside the desk and ordered him to see that they were filed away.

The ninja nodded, and ran out of the room, closing the door behind him. But the second the door closed, the lights switched off, catching everyone off guard, and there was a loud poof followed by black smoke filling the room. When the smoke cleared, Tsunade and Shizune's eyes widened,

"Night Hawk?" Shizune asked in a nervous voice.

"I hear you're having some trouble with the boy." Night Hawk said in a tone that sent shivers down both the women's spines.

"Err, well, we know that he _will_ be able to walk again, but the problem is that we need him to wake up before we can do anything else." Shizune said.

"The boy will be awake soon enough." Night Hawk said. He started to approach Tsunade's desk, reaching into his robe for something, "But in the event that I'm wrong, take this and jab it into his heart." He laid a shot on Tsunade's desk.

Tsunade looked at the shot and then looked up at night Hawk, "You want us to what now?"

"Must I really repeat myself?" Night Hawk said, giving Tsunade a glare that made her blood run cold. He then looked at the shot and continued, "This shot contains a medicine Atlassian medics created to bring soldiers out of a state of shock. It poses no threat to the boy's life, but will give his heart a bit of a shock. He shouldn't be asleep for long after that."

Shizune looked at the shot for a moment, narrowed her eyes, and glared at Night Hawk, "And how are we supposed to know you're not trying to kill Naruto?" She asked.

Night Hawk turned his attention to Shizune and returned her glare, making her take a few steps back, "What reason would I have to kill him? His death would make it infinitely easier for an Agroneese spirit to possess his body, making things more difficult than they need to be for this task. If you are not willing to accept my help, then he won't wake up in time, and the girl will have to carry him. Speaking of which." Tsunade and Shizune gave Night Hawk their full attention, "The Agroneese spirit has already begun its haunting, and is already growing stronger. I need you, Tsunade, to take this to Sakura." He reached inside his robe again and pulled out a paper with a bunch of strange symbols on it, then handed it to Tsunade, "You have the closer relation with the girl, and the spell on this paper only works if the person who cares the most about the other gives it to them. Right now she thinks she'll be safe at a friends' house, but she'll soon learn otherwise."

"And what exactly will this piece of paper do?" Tsunade asked.

"The ancients who faced the Agroneese the first time found ways to protect themselves against these spirits using dark and forbidden magic. The enchantments on that piece of paper are strong enough to protect the girl from the entity entering her body and taking control. She must wear this at all times until we leave the village. The spirit is feasting on the emotion here in the village, and it is rapidly growing more powerful. However, it will weaken when we leave the village, and our path will be too long for it to follow before it fades into the void."

Tsunade looked down at the piece of paper, then looked at Night Hawk again, "Are there any particular words I need to say when I hand her this piece of paper?"

"No. Though it would be wise to say you know about her hauntings. She's already scared enough as it is, and she'll take any help she can get, especially after what's likely to happen tonight." Night Hawk said. "So long as she has that paper the spirit will not be able to harm her."

"And what about her friend, Ino?" Shizune asked.

"The spirit doesn't have a strong enough connection with her yet to pose a threat, and I highly doubt it's interested in her." Night Hawk said, "But in the event it _is_ interested in her, we'll be long gone before it's able to do anything."

Tsunade sighed and looked at the piece of paper, "Very well. I'll take this to Sakura immediately. She should be on break right now."

Night Hawk nodded in response, and disappeared from the room in a cloud of black smoke.

Author's notes: Well, guys and gals. I think that's going to do it for this chapter as it has reached 11 pages on Microsoft Word. I will continue this with chapter 5: Haunted part two.

Thank you all so much for reading, and please feel free to leave reviews. They keep me inspired to continue writing, and I like hearing other people's ideas as well. Maybe your idea could save me from writer's block in the future? You never know.

Take care guys. Chapter 5 will be out soon.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

 **Haunted: Part 2**

Tsunade walked into the cafeteria of the hospital, holding the piece of paper Night Hawk had given her in her right hand. She stood out of the other nurses' way as they entered and left, while skimming the room for a particular pink haired ninja. Eventually, she spotted Sakura sitting at a table, enjoying a conversation with some of her coworkers. Tsunade smiled, and made her way to Sakura, catching her attention.

"Excuse me, Sakura. I need to see you. Alone, please." Tsunade said.

Concerned she was in trouble or did something wrong, Sakura glanced at the other nurses, then stood from her seat and followed Tsunade to the closest women's restroom. Tsunade made sure there was no one in the stalls, and turned to face Sakura as she entered the room. "Okay, Sakura, we need to talk."

"W-why? Am I in trouble?" Sakura asked in a nervous tone.

Tsunade shook her head, "No, not with me, anyway, but trouble in general may be a better way to say it."

"Why? What's going on?" Sakura asked curiously.

Tsunade sighed, looked down at the ground for a moment as she collected her thoughts, then looked at Sakura again, "I'm not going to try and lay this one on you gently, Sakura. I know about your haunting."

Sakura's eyes widened, "What…h…how is that even possible? The only person I've spoken to about that is Ino, and she said she wouldn't tell anyone. To be honest, I was wondering if was really all just in my head, and I have a phobia of my own basement."

Tsunade shook her head, "No. This is a serious situation, Sakura, and it could cause some serious trouble if you're not careful."

"Wait, you never answered how you know about this in the first place." Sakura said.

"I was told by the man who recruited you and the rest of team seven." Tsunade said, "He sent me to deliver this to you." She held out the piece of paper.

Sakura took the piece of paper from Tsunade and took a moment to study it. There were markings of what she assumed was a language she'd never seen before making several circles around the outer parts of the paper, which a strange emblem that looked like a pentagram with a symbol that looked somewhat like the letter Y in the middle. "And what is this supposed to be, exactly?"

"From what this person tells me, this…thing, this spirit, is actually part of an enemy the people of his country believed were wiped out long ago. But now, it seems as if this long since believed dead enemy is trying to rebuild its strength." Tsunade said, catching Sakura's full attention, and peaking her interest. Tsunade continued, "If I understand right, the ancient people who faced this enemy the first time found ways of protecting themselves from these spirits with magical enchantments they'd place on their clothes. Just like the enchantment on that piece of paper."

Sakura's eyes widened, and she looked at the piece of paper again, "Is this seriously for real? What am I getting mixed into here? I feel like I'm not even in the same world anymore." There was a wide range of emotion going through Sakura. Part of her was terrified, knowing that there was _indeed_ a spirit or other worldly entity after her, but at the same time, she couldn't help but think it was a rather interesting turn of events. She took her mind out of her thoughts, and looked at Tsunade, "So why is this…whatever it is, after me?"

"It's not after you, exactly. It's after Naruto." Tsunade said.

Sakura's eyes widened, "W-why would it be after _him_?" She asked in a nervous voice.

Tsunade sighed, and rested her hand on Sakura's shoulder, "I wish I could tell you in detail, Sakura, I really do. But I'm afraid the only person who could answer your question is, well, the recruiter."

Sakura opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it in the end. She looked down at the piece of paper, then looked back up at Tsunade. "So what am I supposed to do with this?"

"He said that so long as it was on you, it would protect you." Tsunade said, "I don't know if you'll be completely safe from your haunter, but I think you'll be fine."

Sakura stared at the piece of paper for a few moments, released an anxious and scared sigh, then turned her back to Tsunade and started for the door,

"Oh, one more thing, Sakura." Tsunade said, catching Sakura's attention, "I'm going to spend some time with Naruto, and I've decided I'm going to cut your shift early today."

Sakura instantly turned to face Tsunade, "Cut my shift? W-Why? Lady Tsunade, I _need_ as much money as I can get my hands on at the moment."

Tsunade smiled, "Your financial situation is nothing to be concerned about, Sakura. Trust me, it's all taken care of."

Sakura stared at Tsunade in confusion, but nodded when she thought she understood what she meant. "I see. What do you want me to do, then?"

Tsunade thought for a moment as she tried to predict Sakura's near future. She started to think it would be a nice surprise for Sakura, who was completely unaware she had the shot that Night Hawk had given her, if she were to get a message from Shizune that Naruto was awake in the morning. "Hmm…well, I'd say go home and make sure you're packed, and have everything ready for your next mission. Leave a note for your mother, saying your final good-bye, and tell Ino about what to expect later on tonight."

Sakura smirked and crossed her arms, "That's easier said than done, you know? The possibility of being possessed - or possibly killed – by some demonic entity isn't exactly the easiest thing in the world to bring up in conversation."

Tsunade laughed, "I'm sure you'll figure something out, Sakura. Ino will listen to you. You've been friends for a long time now."

Sakura released a deep sigh, paused for a moment, and then looked up at Tsunade again, "So what am I supposed to tell my coworkers? That I'm just walking out in the middle of a shift when they have patients they may need help with? I'm not exactly going to be someone who just disappears and have no one notice."

Tsunade rested her hand on Sakura's shoulder, "Don't worry about that. I'll explain in detail why you had to leave. Your coworkers will have no hard feelings after that." She took her hand back, and started walking towards the door, "Besides. Assuming you come back from this mission alive, this little incident will be nothing but a distant memory. If someone still holds a grudge against you after that kind of time period…well, God be with them. That's all I can say."

Sakura turned towards Tsunade as she heard the door open, "So let me get one thing straight. This…spirit, this demon, is after me for Naruto, right? If I fail, it means Naruto dies?"

Tsunade stopped, thought for a second, and then turned back to Sakura, "I think you'll be saving him from a fate far worse than death, Sakura."

Sakura's eyes widened for a moment, then narrowed into a determined stare, and she clinched her fists. "I already failed him once. I'm not failing him again."

Tsunade smiled, "That's my girl, Sakura." She started to quietly chuckle, "Do whatever you have to - to protect your boyfriend." She then walked out of the doorway, closing the door behind her.

"Yes, ma-am! I wi… Hey, wait a minute!"

Leaving the hospital, Sakura was a mix of emotion. She was scared, excited, nervous, and curious all at the same time. Scared about what was likely to happen in a few hours, nervous about leaving the leaf and all her friends behind, excited for a new adventure, and curious about the informant. In a way, she really couldn't wait to see who this person was, and tried to picture what he – or even she as far as Sakura knew – would look like, and where they could possibly be from. She pulled the piece of paper out of her pouch and studied it again, trying to see if she could recall ever seeing any of the symbols. It didn't take her long to just give up.

"This language…or…whatever it is…it's definitely not from this side of the world." She thought out loud, "I wonder if this is an ancient text as well, and the people of this country have made a new language over the years." She studied it for another moment, then put the piece of paper back inside her pouch, and looked up at the sun. "Mmm…well, there's not going to be much of a better time to go home and see what I can pack…as much as I don't want to."

She turned in the direction of her house, and ran there as fast as she could.

Arriving at her house, Sakura noticed the door was still open. She stayed in the middle of the street for a while, checking to see if there were any shadows moving around, or if there was anything strangely out of place. The house still looked roughly the same as she left it, and the lights were still on.

"I guess that's an indication that nobody tried to rob anything?" She asked herself. She took a final glance through all the windows, and proceeded to the front door. The second she stepped on the first step of the porch, she could sense the air change dramatically, and she could tell that whatever it was that was in her house before was still there. She took a few steps back from the house, and skimmed the windows again. She could feel her heart beating in her chest, and just looking at the house almost made her feel paralyzed.

" _Maybe this wasn't such a great idea._ " She thought.

After standing in the street for a few minutes, she finally built up enough courage to approach the house again. " _I just need the money, I just need the money, I just need the money._ " She thought repeatedly. When she walked up to the front door, the air went from warm to almost freezing. She checked the hallway, dining, and living room, skimming the walls for any shadows, and listening for anything that sounded like footprints. Once it seemed clear, she slowly entered the house, and made her way upstairs to her room.

"Okay, so far so good." She whispered. She looked under her bed, pulled out a cardboard box, and opened it to reveal nearly twenty-five-hundred yin. " _This should keep me going for a while so long as I'm careful with it_." She thought. She took all the money out and piled it on her bed, then reached into the drawer of the end table next to her bed, and pulled out her wallet. She stuffed as much money as she could inside her wallet, then got a backpack from out of her closet. She sat the backpack on her bed, and put the rest of the money in a small pocket, then threw some random clothes into another pocket, and finally her body and hair care (makeup, soap, shampoo, tooth brush, etc) in the last pocket.

A loud bang from the same room she investigated the other night caught her off guard and she jumped to her feet screaming. " _Shiiiiit! If it didn't know I wasn't here before, it definitely knows I'm here now!_ " She grabbed her backpack, and ran out of her room where she saw a figure slowly creeping towards her from the other end of the hall. Her eyes widened in fear, and she jumped down the stairs to the front door. Just before she exited, she heard a low, demonic sounding growl, and looked back up the stairs.

Around the corner of the wall, she could see a huge hand with long razor sharp caws resting on the railing. The hand moved to the right, up the wall, and retreated back into the hallway, leaving four claw marks on the wall.

Sakura gulped and ran as fast as she could out the door and into the street. Once she thought she'd covered enough ground, she looked back at her house, and saw a dark figure standing in one of the windows. A chill ran through her body, and she immediately turned away and ran down the street towards Ino's place.

Arriving at Ino's place, Sakura opened the door and walked in, catching Ino – who was sitting in the living room reading a magazine- a little off guard.

"Oh, Sakura? You already got off work?" Ino asked in a surprised tone.

"Yeah, Tsunade wants me to rest up for this next big mission." Sakura said, leaning her suitcase against the wall, "But we have a serious problem, Ino. I don't know how to say it, so I'm just going to blurt it out."

Ino blinked at Sakura in confusion and put the magazine on the table next to her, "Um…okay. What's up?"

"Well…you know that ghost I told you about this morning?" Sakura asked, "Tsunade somehow found out about it, and warned me it's going to get a lot worse tonight. It's following me."

Ino's eyes widened and she stood from her chair, "W-what d-do you mean it's following you? Why would it be after you?"

"I don't think it's after me directly. It's after Naruto." Sakura said.

Ino's eyes widened even more, "But…why? Do you think we should stay with Naruto, just to make sure he's okay?"

Sakura shook her head, "No. Tsunade closed Naruto's room off to everyone, and I'm afraid that if I go in his room now I'll only be putting his life in more danger."

"So…what? We're just going to sit around and let this…thing do what it wants?" Ino asked in a terrified voice, "I'll be honest, Sakura, I don't appreciate where this is going."

Sakura nodded, "I know. However, I think we'll be alright if we stay together and cover each other's backs." She reached into her pouch and pulled out the piece of paper Tsunade gave her.

Ino's attention drifted to the piece of paper, and she noticed all the strange symbols. "What's that thing?"

Sakura took a moment to think of her answer, then looked at Ino, "Well, I'm not exactly one-hundred percent sure. Lady Tsunade has apparently had a few talks with this person we'll be going with in the next couple of days, and his country is an old enemy of this demon – or the place it came from. If I understand correctly, this piece of paper will be enough to protect me from being possessed."

"Um…what about me?" Ino asked in a nervous voice, "I-I'm in this house, too, you know? Nobody cares about me?"

"This spirit isn't interested in you." Sakura said, somewhat putting Ino at ease, "It's only interested in me because I have the strongest connection with Naruto. It wants me so it would have an easier time taking him."

"And what if the enchantments on that piece of paper aren't enough?" Ino asked.

"Well, I don't exactly see any other options to rely on, do you?" Sakura asked.

Ino shook her head, "No. Not really. I suppose I could contact my squad and see if we could form some kind of sleep over. You know? Strength in numbers and all that. But Choji's terrified of stuff like this, Asuma has…plans with Kurenai, and Shikamaru…I think he has some business at the academy tomorrow. Something about this year's graduate students."

"Well, I guess it's up to us to survive this night alone. Sakura said.

Ino nodded. "Okay. When the sun goes down, we stick together at all costs."

Sakura nodded, "Yeah, it may also not be a bad idea just to camp out in the living room. We can at least have the TV to give us some comfort. Anyway, mind if I just put my backpack here next to the door."

Ino waved her hand and nodded, "Sure. I'm not expecting anyone else, so it'll be fine right there." She watched as Sakura placed her backpack down, and took a seat on the sofa across the room from her. "So what do you think Tsunade's doing with Naruto?"

Sakura shook her head, "I honestly have no idea. She seemed pretty excited last time I saw her, though."

"Huh! Curious." Ino stood from her chair and walked into the kitchen, "I made some lemonade, Sakura, if you want any."

"What kind, or what color?" Sakura asked.

"Pink."

"Okay, sure, I'll take a glass."

Hours Later

Tension was high with Ino and Sakura as they prepared their sleeping places in the living room. Every light in the house was on, and any room that had a radio – or some other device that made sound – was playing music or making some other kind of nose. They had done everything they could think of to help calm their nerves, and made sure not to eat or drink anything, or do anything that would separate them if even for a second.

The day was seeing its last few minutes of light, and Sakura and Ino tried to mentally prepare for anything. Sakura still had the image of the figure she saw back at her house, and the claws that left marks on the wall. Her heart was pounding against her chest, and her whole body was starting to shake.

"What's really getting to me right now is the anticipation. We don't know when this thing may decide to attack, or where from." Sakura said.

Ino nodded, and finished readying her spot, "Yeah, that's what has me on edge, too. At least I don't have a basement in this house."

Sakura smirked and turned her attention to her claimed spot on the floor, "True. But I think any place is just as bad."

"Well, at least my house isn't that creepy in the dark." Ino said.

"You say that now, Ino, but I wouldn't exactly call my house creepy, either." Sakura said.

Ino walked over to Sakura's place and helped her finish preparing her spot, "I guess that's true. Should we sleep in shifts? It might not show up if it can't catch us off our guard."

"I think that's some pretty wishful thinking, Ino." Sakura said. She finished fluffing her pillow, and sat it down, "Even for you."

"Well, it was worth a try. However, I _do_ kind of like the idea of sleeping in shifts."

"Fine. Then that's what we'll do." Sakura said. "You want to draw straws?"

"Eh, I like a quick game of rock paper scissors." Ino said.

The both stood facing each other, counted to three, and made their shape. Ino chose rock, and Sakura chose scissors.

"Well, I guess you have first watch." Ino said, sticking her tongue out at Sakura.

"To be honest, I'm more concerned about surviving tonight than I am about who has the first shift." Sakura said.

Ino nodded in agreement, "I suppose that's fair enough. Well, anyway, I guess I'll go to sleep now."

"I'll wake you in an hour, or if something happens." Sakura said.

12:30 A.M

Sakura rested her head against the leg of Ino's coffee table while she watched a random show she'd found on TV that was able to hold her attention. It had been a quiet night so far, which relieved her, but there was still a ways to go.

Another half hour passed, and Sakura was getting ready to wake Ino. Then, in the corner of her eye, she could see one of the lights from upstairs starting to flicker. Sakura's eyes widened, and she started to gently shake Ino, "Ino…Ino!" She whispered.

Ino opened her eyes and rolled over to face Sakura, "What? Is it my turn again already?" She asked, barely able to keep her eyes open.

Sakura covered her mouth with her index finger, and pointed up the stairs to the room with the flickering light. Ino's eyes widened, and she looked back at Sakura, "You don't think that's-"

Before she was able to finish, the room went completely dark, and the air started to grow colder.

Ino covered herself with the covers, and Sakura started to feel immobilized. Up the stairs, the two girls could hear something walking out of the room and into the hall where the rooms connected. The light started to flicker madly, and eventually, it shut off, leaving most of the upstairs pitch black.

The girls nervously watched the stairs as they heard something slowly walk down them,

Thump

Thump

Thump

Thump

The TV shut off, as well as several lamps in the living room. The light in the kitchen and hall way started to flicker, and soon turned completely off. The only light source left was a lamp on the far side of the room, as well as the moonlight shining in through the windows.

There was a period of silence, giving the girls a moment to calm down, followed by a loud bang from down the hall they were next to. Sakura and no stared at the hall in fear as they heard a low demonic growl, followed by a huge hand with claws reaching around the edge, and dragging along the wall back into the hall, leaving claw marks on Ino's wall. The light started to flicker on and off again, and a shadow came into the room. Sakura and Ino watched as it approached them, and Sakura could sense there was something standing on her blankets. Without any warning or indication, Sakura was lifted into the air by her throat, where she was held and choked for several seconds.

Sakura, caught by surprise, did what she could to get away. She kicked, her legs, squirmed, but it was to no use. She felt her body getting weaker as the demon's grip on her neck tightened, and then she was thrown against the far wall. She rose to her hands and knees, coughing, and trying to get her mind over what had just happened.

Ino ran over to Sakura, but the spirit had caught ahold of her hair, and lifter her feet completely off the ground. Ino grabbed at her hair, screaming in pain, and then her jaw suddenly dropped while she tried to scream as the spirit started to slowly stretch her out, acting as if it were trying to tear her in half.

Sakura, not sure what to do, ran towards Ino, and tackled her out of the air, and out of the spirits grasp. But before she or Ino hit the ground, the spirit grabbed her foot, making her slam her chin on the ground, and threw her hard against the kitchen counter. She lay on the floor for a moment, then slowly tried to crawl away, but she could feel the footsteps of the spirit coming closer, and closer to her. The next thing she knew, she was being grabbed by the throat and lifted into the air again. This time, however, there was a loud roar that brought a whole new definition of fear to Sakura. It was low, hungry, and angry. Tears of fear and fright filled Sakura's eyes and her body became paralyzed. She was then slammed against the wall a number of times before she was thrown on the ground on her back. She rolled on her stomach, and tried to crawl away, but the spirt grabbed her ankle, and dragged her along the ground to the back of the hall where it came from with Sakura screaming at the top of her lungs as she dragged her nails along the ground.

Ino dove for Sakura's hands and she started playing a game of tug-of-war with the demon over Sakura. Ino, determined to save Sakura's life, eventually won and pulled Sakura back into the living room. Sakura rose back up to her feet, and she and Ino stood back to back.

"I thought you said that piece of paper would protect you." Ino said, skimming the room for the shadow.

"It was only supposed to protect me from being possessed." Sakura said, doing the same as Ino.

"Regardless, I'm not liking where this is going. How can we fight something we can't see?" Ino asked

"I don't know, just be prepared for anything." Sakura said.

"Easier said than done." Ino smirked.

Suddenly, the girls were both grabbed by the throat and lifted high in the air. Their vocals were cut off, and the spirit was raising them higher and higher, getting ready to snap their necks. Then, the girls suddenly fell back to the ground.

Sakura, who was losing consciousness, looked up and saw a bright light reflecting off the shadow, and could hear the spirit screaming in pain. The spirit backed away from the two girls, and Sakura felt another prescience standing over her and Ino. She rolled on her side and saw another tall figure casting some kind of spell at the spirit. She watched in awe and amazement as this new player forced the spirit back into the main hall, trapping it, and then intensifying the spell, making the spirit cry out in even more pain.

A few moments passed, and the air grew silent. Sakura looked up at the new person and met his gaze. "Thank…you." She whispered softly, then passed out.

Author's Notes: Sorry if this chapter is a little..."boring" to read or not quite as enjoyable as the last. Unfortunately, real life got in the way with this chapter as it has an annoying habit of doing. Anyway, next chapter we'll move on to Naruto possibly waking up and some actual NS moments? Maybe.

Please feel free to review or post your thoughts on the story. If something's annoying you or you think something could be better, I won't know about it unless you post a review.

As always I will see you in the next chapter! By-bye!

Markiplier rip off, I know...


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

 **Awaken**

"Sakura…Sakura!"

Sakura slowly opened her eyes as she felt someone gently pushing her shoulder. Almost instantly she could see she was back at the hospital, lying in one of the beds. She rolled her head to look at who was saying her name and saw Shizune standing over her.

"Wha…what happened?" Sakura asked as she slowly sat up.

"Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa! Take it easy, Sakura." Shizune said as she tried to slow Sakura's movements, "You've been out cold for a few hours now."

Sakura, who had little to no memory over the events of what happened the previous night, held her head and looked at Shizune, "But…h-how did I get here? I don't remember anything. I remember going to Ino's place and hanging out for a bit…then…everything's blank."

"That might be for the best, Sakura." Tsunade said as she entered the room, "You may regain your memory over time, but for now, just be thankful you don't have them."

Sakura winced as she felt a sharp pain go through her arm. She held where she felt the pain and started casting a healing jutsu. "Were my wounds very serious?"

Tsunade shook her head, "No. You and Ino had a few torn joints, but it wasn't anything Shizune and I could handle ourselves. How do you feel?"

Sakura sighed and lied back down, "Like I was hit by a freight train, and then another one with three times the momentum." She said, trying to make a joke out of the situation.

Shizune and Tsunade laughed, and Tsunade took a seat next to Sakura on the opposite side of Shizune, "Well, it's nice to know you still have your sense of humor." She said as she rubbed Sakura's forehead. "Anyway, you should be able to walk when you're ready."

"Would you like anything to eat or drink, Sakura? You were out for a while." Shizune said.

Sakura remained silent for a moment, then looked at Shizune, "Um, yes, actually. My throat is a little dry. Orange Juice sounds good right now, but I'm not very hungry."

Shizune bowed, "I'll return soon." She said before turning away and heading out the door.

Sakura turned her attention to Tsunade, "What about Ino? How is she?"

"She's still sleeping, but her injuries weren't anywhere near as bad as yours were." Tsunade said.

Sakura sighed in relief, "That's good to know. And Naruto?"

"He'll be…just fine." Tsunade said with a wink.

Sakura tilted her head in confusion, and she paused for a few seconds, "Wait….what's that supposed to mean?"

Tsunade smiled and looked up at the ceiling, "I think it would be better for you to just see for yourself." She looked back down at Sakura, "He's in much better shape now."

Sakura, thinking she understood what Tsunade meant, smiled and sat up again, "Is he walking yet?"

Tsunade shook her head, "No. Not quite yet, anyway. But we need to make sure he can walk with crutches before sundown."

"Do you think he'll make it?" Sakura asked.

Tsunade remained silent for a moment before answering, "It'll be tough, but with enough determination, I think he'll make it."

A huge smile formed on Sakura's face, and she fell back on her bed with her arms folded behind her head, "That's wonderful news!"

There was a brief silence between the two before Tsunade brought up a question, "So…do you remember _anything_ about last night?"

Sakura rolled her eyes to Tsunade, and tried to think back, "Hmm…not really, but I _do_ remember there was some kind of battle. I know there was some kind of…spirit or something haunting my house, and you warning me it was following me…it won didn't it?" She asked in an annoyed tone once a few things started coming back to her.

"No. Not at all, actually. In fact, you actually did what the recruiter wanted you to do." Tsunade said, catching Sakura's full attention.

"Wait, what?" Sakura asked as she sat up again, "I did what this person wanted me to do?"

Tsunade nodded, "I can't tell you everything in detail because I had a hard time following it myself, but he wanted me to tell you not to be concerned with the spirit anymore."

"He killed it?" Sakura asked.

Tsunade shook her head, "Unfortunately, no. But he did weaken it a substantial amount. He said that over time it would rebuild its strength, and everything would just circle back eventually, but he says you'll be long gone before any of that happens."

"So I can rest easy? My house isn't haunted anymore?" Sakura asked.

Tsunade smiled and nodded, "Our friend has already seen to your place as well as Ino's. It'll have to find a new place to roost in order to build up its strength."

Sakura released another sigh of relief, "At least I can get anything else I need out of my house now without having to worry about that thing."

Just then, Shizune came back into the room with a glass of orange juice and handed it to Sakura.

"Thank you, Shizune." Sakura said as she took the glass and took her first sip.

Shizune nodded at Sakura, then turned her attention to Tsunade, "Well, I guess I'm going to take care of a few other things. I need to check with Asuma on something."

Tsunade nodded and watched as Shizune left the room. She then turned her attention back to Sakura, who had already drank over half the glass of orange juice, and asked, "So, do you feel like seeing Naruto?"

Sakura finished her glass of orange juice, turned to Tsunade with a smile and nodded, "I'd like that."

Tsunade nodded and took Sakura's glass as she slowly climbed out of bed. Tsunade watched, readying herself in the event Sakura were to fall, and smiled when Sakura's feet touched the ground. Sakura then started to walk towards the door, a little wobbly, but Tsunade could tell it was from Sakura's legs just starting to wake up.

A few minutes later, Tsunade and Sakura entered Naruto's room where two other nurses were doing some final checkups on him.

"Oh, hello, Lady Tsunade. We were just getting ready to leave." One of the nurses said.

Tsunade nodded in response, "No need to hurry."

Sakura walked over to the chair on Naruto's right and sat down. She stared at his face as he slept peacefully, and could tell he had definitely made a recovery. She looked back at Tsunade and asked, "What did you do yesterday? It's almost like he wasn't injured at all."

"I actually had very little to do with Naruto's recovery overnight, Sakura." Tsunade said as she walked up and stood beside Sakura, "Our…friend, also has his hands all over this, too."

Sakura's eyes widened, "You mean… _he's_ responsible for this?"

Tsunade smiled and nodded, then looked at Naruto, "As far as Naruto's injuries go, they're completely gone with the exception of a few scars. I can't say for certain if he'll make it to be a ninja again, but it'll be pretty close."

"But what's going to keep him from being able to be a ninja if he's making this type of recovery?" Sakura asked.

"His chakra flow was cut off in his left arm." Tsunade said, making Sakura shoot a worried glance at Naruto's left arm, "If he can't channel chakra through that arm, it's bye-bye Rasengan, Shadow Clones, or whatever else he may come up with."

Sakura turned back to Tsunade, "But…if he's not going to be able to be a ninja anymore…why send him on this mission?"

Tsunade looked down at Sakura, "That will be explained tomorrow morning. The informant can tell you everything that I ca-" She was cut off by the sound of Naruto moaning.

Both Tsunade and Sakura looked at Naruto as he started moving his head slightly, and eventually opened his eyes. He slowly looked at Sakura, and let his lips curl into a small smile, "H-hey, S-Sakura."

Sakura's eyes filled with tears, and she scooted her chair a little closer to him, "Hey, sleepyhead. It's nice of you to return to the world of the living." She said in a soft soothing voice.

Naruto smirked as he thought up a joke, "You know how close I was to the gates of heaven?"

Sakura smiled softly and held his hand, "Probably close enough they locked the gate from your bad breath." She joked back, making Naruto chuckle.

"Well, Naruto, it's nice to see you're awake at last." Tsunade said, catching Naruto's attention. "How do you feel?"

"Super…just super." Naruto said sarcastically. He stopped as he heard his stomach growl, "And hungry, too."

Sakura laughed and stood from her chair, "I figured you would be. I have a surprise for you." She started to reach behind her for her pouch, but realized she was still in her hospital clothes. Her cheeks turned pink from embarrassment, and she looked at Tsunade, "Um…excuse, me Lady Tsunade, but…where are my other clothes?"

"Oh, they're in your room. Why?" Tsunade asked.

"You'll see in a moment." Sakura said as she ran out the door.

A few minutes later, Sakura came back into Naruto's room, dressed in her regular clothes, and holding two pieces of paper. She sat down in her chair again, and showed Naruto one of the coupons from Ichiraku Ramen, making his face beam. "Here you go, Naruto. It's a little waking up present from Ichiraku Ramen. Ino got squads seven through ten to eat there on your behalf, and I told Ichiraku what happened."

Naruto looked up at Sakura with a big grin on his face, "Wow, thanks a bunch, Sakura! I can't wait to get out of here, and get some food now."

Sakura closed her eyes, smiled, and nodded, "You're welcome."

Tsunade sighed and caught both their attention, "I'm sorry to cut this short, Naruto, but we need to get you on your feet as soon as possible."

Naruto gave Tsunade a look of confusion, and he tilted his head, "Huh? Why? What's going on?"

"You're going to be starting a new mission tomorrow. It may possibly be your last mission for the Leaf Village, too." Tsunade said.

Naruto's eyes widened. He looked at Sakura for a moment, then looked at Tsunade, "What…what do you mean it could be my last mission? Is it going to be that dangerous?"

Tsunade shook her head, "I'll tell you what I told Sakura, Naruto. You're about to answer to a higher force than me."

Naruto looked at Tsunade in confusion, then turned his attention to Sakura, "What's she talking about, Sakura? I…I don't understand."

Sakura nodded, "I know, Naruto. I don't either. I'm sorry we have to tell you this all at once. I know it's going to be a lot to swallow."

Tsunade looked at Sakura for a moment, "Do you think I should go ahead and tell him about…you know?"

Sakura looked at Tsunade and shook her head. "No. I'll tell him that when it's the right time. Right now, let's just see if we can't get him to walk."

Tsunade nodded, and helped Naruto climb out of bed. Though he was greatly confused at what was going on, he did what Sakura and Tsunade instructed him to.

Hours Later

At almost 6:30 P.M. Sakura left the hospital with Naruto following closely behind her. He had to use crutches to get anywhere, but he would slowly regain the ability to walk on his own over time. Neither she nor Tsunade had told Naruto of the possibility that he may no longer be a ninja, but she didn't want Naruto to instantly dive into the depths of depression, and not be able to reach him. She wanted to break it on him slowly, and not have so much to swallow at once. After all, there was still a chance that he could eventually recover.

Sakura stopped, and turned to look at Naruto who was trying to keep pace with her, but he was already panting out of breath. "Would you like to take a break, Naruto?"

Naruto caught up to her, and shook his head. "No. I can keep going for a bit. Where are we going, anyway?"

Sakura smiled, "Oh, nowhere in particular. I was just going to lead you around for a while. Would you like to go on a shopping spree at the mall? Or how about we get Lee to give you a speech on his "spring time of youth"?"

Naruto's eyes widened, "Wait…are you trying to help me, or are you trying to torture me?"

Sakura laughed and playfully hit Naruto's arm, "No, silly, I'm not trying to torture you. I'm actually leading you to Ichiraku Ramen so you can get something to eat. Your stomach constantly growling is kind of getting on my nerves, and I know Ichiraku's the only place that can cure _your_ appetite."

Naruto chuckled, "Well forgive me for being hungry!" He paused as he thought of something, "Wait…you're eating with me, too?"

Sakura smiled and nodded, "Mmm-hmm."

Naruto's cheeks turned pink, and he started tapping his fingers together, "Y-you don't t-think we could…um…you know? Call it a date?"

Sakura laughed and started running ahead of him, "Tell ya what. I'll let it be a date if you beat me there! Hahaha."

Naruto's eyes widened and he started chasing after Sakura as fast as he could, "Hey, no fair, Sakura! You got a head start! C'mon, I'm injured over here! At least give me a chance!"

Just before they arrived at Ichiraku Ramen, Sakura teased Naruto by running ahead of him, then letting him catch up before running ahead of him.

"I don't think you want that date badly enough, Naruto!" She called back in a teasing tone, "I really expected more from you."

Naruto narrowed his eyes at Sakura with a competitive glare, and started moving a little faster, panting out of breath. "At this rate, it's going to be more than just a date you owe me, Sakura!"

Sakura chuckled and stuck her tongue out at him, "We'll see about that. If you want something else from me, you'll have to _catch_ me first!"

Naruto's eyes narrowed at Sakura as she took several steps backwards, just barely keeping out of his range of speed. Eventually, Naruto had to stop and take a breather with Sakura just a few meters ahead of him.

Sakura smirked and rested her hands on her hips, "Huh! It's a good thing I've got time to kill, Naruto. You're seriously the biggest slacker I've ever seen."

"Oh, shut up." Naruto said, panting out of breath, "At least _I_ give people a fair chance!"

Sakura giggled and walked up to Naruto, pulling his arm around her neck, "Oh, lighten up. I was going to let you take me on a date, anyway. It can be my present to you for surviving those injuries."

Naruto remained silent as he stared at Sakura with bright pink cheeks, "Sakura, I…"

Sakura winked at Naruto with a grin, "What? You think I wasn't the type of gal to do this?"

Naruto nervously looked down at the ground with a small smile curving his lips, "Well…I…don't know what to say, really."

Sakura smirked and turned her attention ahead of her, "A thank you would be nice, you know?"

"Oh, well…thank you." Naruto said in a nervous voice with his cheeks still bright pink. He started to chuckle as a joke came to him, "Maybe I need to get hurt more often."

Sakura smirked and rolled her eyes, "You scare me like this again, and you might not _make_ it to the hospital next time."

A few seconds later they arrived at Ichiraku Ramen, and stepped inside.

"Hey, old man! What's cooking?" Naruto asked as he and Sakura entered the stand.

Ichiraku turned around to face Naruto with a big smile, "Hay, Naruto! My favorite customer! Welcome back!" He stopped as he saw Sakura holding his arm round her neck, "So you finally let him out of the hospital, huh?"

Sakura smiled at Ichiraku, and helped Naruto down on his favorite stool. She then sat down next to him and looked at Ichiraku, "Yeah, his injuries didn't take as long to heal as we thought they would, and we need him to be able to walk by tomorrow. Tsunade has another big mission for us."

"Already?" Ichiraku asked in disbelief, "Lady Hokage can't give you two a break can she?"

Sakura paused for a second as she thought about how to respond, "Well…it's not exactly _for_ Lady Tsunade this time."

Ichiraku tilted his head in confusion, "Eh? Ah, well, I won't worry about it too much. So what can I get you, Ms. Haruno? I know what Naruto wants already, but you're a fairly new customer here."

Sakura rolled her eyes to Naruto for a second where he saw him looking at her, still as if her were in awe on the fact he was actually on a date with her. She smiled at Naruto, then looked at Ichiraku, "You know what? I'll have what he's having. I can let my diet go for a night."

Ichiraku smiled, nodded, and turned around to start making their orders, "So you finally got her to take you on a date, Naruto? That's the way!"

Naruto looked down at the counter as his cheeks turned pink and he scratched his right cheek, "Y-yeah, I…I guess so."

Sakura smiled and leaned on her elbows, "It was all part of the plan. I knew that if I told him I'd go on a date with him, he'd be able to walk by sundown."

Ichiraku laughed, "Well, if it works it works, I guess."

Sakura rolled her eyes to look at Naruto, "Well, in his case, it's easy. All I have to do is say the word 'ramen' and he's up doing laps around the room."

Ichiraku chuckled and turned to face them both. He laid their food out in front of them, and took a few steps back, "Now, here we are. I'll be taking your coupons now."

Sakura nodded and handed Ichiraku her and Naruto's coupons for the night, "Here you go. It's all we can eat tonight, right?"

Ichiraku nodded, "It's all on the house tonight for the two of you. Eat to your hearts content."

Naruto and Sakura both nodded, thanked him for the food before they started eating.

Trying to get a conversation going, Naruto looked at Sakura, "Hey, Sakura, do you mind if I ask you something?"

Sakura turned to Naruto and nodded with a friendly smile.

"What was it you and Tsunade were talking about? Our next mission, I mean." Naruto asked.

Sakura swallowed her food, and shook her head, "I'm sorry, Naruto. I know little more about it than you do. All I know about it is that there's some recruiter here who wants us to go with him for some reason. Tsunade keeps telling me I'll get the answers I want to know tomorrow, so I guess I'll tell you the same."

"Oh…I see." Naruto turned back to his ramen and took a few more slurps before bringing up another topic, "What about the other thing you were talking about? It seemed to have something to do with me directly."

Sakura's eyes widened, and she nearly choked on her ramen. She beat against her chest, trying to cough it back out, but it eventually slid the rest of the way down her throat. She took a deep breath, and looked at Naruto with an honest face, "Now that, I _can_ tell you about, but here isn't a good place."

Naruto looked at Sakura with a confused face and asked, "Why not? Where would be a good place?"

Sakura thought for a moment, then answered, "I'm going to have to help you pack for this next mission. I'll tell you everything you need to know at your place." Her eyes narrowed into a sorrowful look, "But I'll warn you right now…it's nothing good."

Naruto continued to stare at Sakura for a few seconds. He noticed her hands were starting to shake, and he could tell by the way she was acting that it wasn't going to be a good discussion when the topic came up again. In the meantime, however, he tried to jam it in the back of his mind, and enjoy his food and alone time with Sakura.

A While Later

Sakura lead Naruto to his place and helped him up the stairs. When they reached the door to his apartment, Sakura turned the knob and pushed the door open. She reached around the corner and turned the light on, then lead Naruto in, closing the door behind her. She then helped Naruto into his room, and sat him down on his bed.

"Now. All we have to do is pack you a few things. Spare clothes, body care, weapons, and some basic first aid stuff." Sakura said, looking around Naruto's apartment, which was actually fairly clean for once. There were some clothes lying on the floor of his bedroom, but nothing else out of place. She looked back down at Naruto with a surprised look, "W-wow! I didn't know you cleaned this place on your own."

Naruto smirked as he looked up at Sakura, "I told you I always have surprises for you."

Sakura laughed and walked over to his drawers, "Well, I'll help you pack your shirts and stuff. You can pack your…unmentionables."

Naruto blushed from embarrassment, and stood from his bed, "A-actually, S-Sakura, why don't you pack my toothpaste and other things? I'll pack my clothes."

Sakura looked back at Naruto, "Are you sure? It might be tough on your back if you get on your hands and knees."

Naruto swatted his hands in front of him, "I can manage."

Sakura shrugged her shoulders, "Well, suit yourself. I guess I'll get the stuff out of your bathroom."

Naruto nodded, and waited for Sakura to clear the room before he slowly started to bend down for his lower dresser. His back started to hurt a little, and eventually, he just fell flat on his stomach, making a crashing sound. Almost immediately after, Sakura came running back to his room, "Are you okay?!"

Naruto laughed and grinned at Sakura, "Yep! I'm doing just fine."

Sakura rolled her eyes and shook her head before she went back to the bathroom, "Be a little more careful, will you? You about gave me a heart attack."

A few minutes later, Naruto had all his clothes packed away in a backpack Sakura had laid on his bed. He had enough clothes to last him the better part of a week, plus some pajamas. Sakura came back into his room with the last of his weapons, and started neatly putting them in his weapon holder.

"Well, I think that pretty much does it." Sakura said, zipping Naruto's weapon holder shut and strapping it on his backpack.

Naruto released a sigh of relief and sat down on his bed, "Phew! Man, that _was_ a bit of a chore with my back. Damn." He started to gently rub his back.

Sakura remained silent for a while. She realized now that she would have to spill the ugly truth on Naruto, and she was scared he would take it harder than she could anticipate. She looked at him with a caring face and sat down beside him. "Okay, Naruto…we need to talk. And…you're probably not going to like what I have to say."

Naruto looked at Sakura and could see the worry in her eyes, which instantly put him on edge. "S-Sakura? What…what's going on?"

Sakura thought about what she was going to say first, and then released a deep sigh, "Naruto…your days as a ninja could possibly be over."

Naruto remained silent as he tried to process what Sakura had just said, "Wait…what? It sounded like you just said-"

"I _did_ just say that, Naruto." Sakura said in a firm voice, catching Naruto a little off guard. He scooted away from her a bit, and stared at her with a startled face, "Wha…what do you mean?" He asked.

Sakura gently pulled Naruto back to her, and rested her hand on his, "Naruto, please listen to me." She looked deeply into his eyes, "I know what I'm saying is a lot for you to take in, and I know this is going to be hard for you to believe. However, I'm telling you the truth. Your days as a Shinobi…are done. I'm sorry."

Naruto's eyes widened, and he rested his hands on Sakura's shoulders, "Wha…what? You…you can't be serious. Tell me you're joking, Sakura, please tell me you're joking!"

Sakura only closed her eyes, looked down at Naruto's bed, and shook her head.

Tears started to slowly build in Naruto's eyes, and slowly, he started to cry out. He covered his face with the palms of his hands and shook his head wildly, "It can't be true! It…it just can't!" He screamed.

Sakura stared at Naruto with guilty eyes and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a comforting hug where she tried her best to calm him down, "It'll be okay, Naruto. Everything will be okay."

"No! How can you say that?! How can I become Hokage if I can't even be a ninja anymore?!" Naruto screamed.

Sakura started to rock him back and forth, patting his back, and letting him take out all his emotion on her, "We'll find a way, Naruto." She gently pushed him away, looked deeply into his eyes, and wiped his tears away with her thumbs, "I _promise_ you we'll find a way." She then pulled him back into another embrace, and did what she could to calm him down.

Author's Notes: Well, guys, I planned this chapter to be a little better, but unfortunately real life is getting in the way, and I suck at writing romance, it has to be said. This may be the last chapter for a few days. My half sister and half brother are graduating from high school, and there's going to be a lot of family around. However, there **will** be a new chapter up before this weekend.

This is the last chapter that takes place in the Hidden Leaf Village. From this point on, it's pretty much a whole new series.

Thanks for reading guys and gals, and I'll see YOU in the next chapter.


	7. Chapter 7 part 1

**Chapter 7**

 **Save Our Last Good-Bye**

 **Part 1**

Leaving Naruto's apartment, Sakura closed the door behind her and slowly descended the stairs. Breaking the truth to Naruto the way she did was almost as hard on her as it was on him, but she knew she did the right thing the long run. She had spent nearly two hours trying to calm him down, and was just now able to leave because Naruto had fallen asleep on her shoulder after crying for so long.

She looked up at the window that would be Naruto's bedroom, and some tears started to form in her eyes. " _Maybe I could've handled that a little better. Oh, Naruto…I'm so sorry it's come to this._ " She looked back down at the stairs and continued walking down. When she reached the ground, she turned in the direction of Ino's house and set a brisk pace.

" _I suppose I could go home…but…no. I may as well stay with Ino. I have everything I need._ " She thought to herself.

Arriving at Ino's house, Sakura slowly opened the door, and saw Ino sitting in the living room watching TV. "Oh, hey, Ino, I didn't think you'd still be up. When did you get out of the hospital?"

Ino turned to look at Sakura, "Just shortly after you went to Naruto's room or so I was told. I didn't get a chance to see him, but you guys were probably busy anyway."

Sakura nodded and closed the door behind her as she walked in, "Yeah, he's not taking things too well. I told you what Lady Tsunade said, right?"

Ino looked at Sakura for a moment, thinking back, and shook her head, "No. I don't believe you did. What's up?"

Sakura looked at Ino in silence for a moment before she released a guilty sigh, and walked over to the couch and sat down, "It's all my fault. I knew he would take it hard, but I never knew how hard he would take it."

Ino stood up and walked over to Sakura, "Why? What's going on? Is he angry at you for something?"

Sakura sighed and shook her head, "No. Well, angry is a good word, but I can't blame him for this. I had to tell him that his days as a ninja may be over, and that he may have to find something else to do."

Ino's eyes widened and she sat down next to Sakura, "That…that's terrible! Is it even possible for Naruto to adjust to a new life outside of being a shinobi? It's all he's ever known."

"And being Hokage is all he's ever cared about." Sakura said with a few bumps of emotion in her voice, "I wish I had told him in a more positive way. If only I could reverse time."

Ino stared at Sakura with sorrowful eyes and rested her hand on Sakura's back, "I'm sure you did all you could. There are only so many things you _could've_ done with this kind of situation. Do you know what's wrong with him? How is he physically?"

Sakura remained silent for a moment as she thought of the answers, then looked at Ino with a few tears in her eyes, "Physically, he's perfectly fine. But his left arm can't circulate any chakra, making jutsu use almost completely impossible."

Ino gasped and covered her mouth, "Oh…oh my…I…I don't know what to say. That's terrible! And what about this mission you're supposed to go on tomorrow? How can Naruto fight without any chakra?"

Sakura rolled her eyes to the ground and shook her head, "I don't know. He can't fight now, anyway, because he has to have crutches to walk. If we stumble into an ambush or something, he'll be the easiest target. I'm especially worried about running into another group of Akatsuki."

Ino remained silent, and looked at the floor for a moment. "Well, if you look at it in a certain way, I suppose that means you can make up for your mistakes by protecting him." Ino said, catching Sakura's attention.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked.

"I mean that you'll have to try harder next time to protect him, right?" Ino asked, "Maybe doing this will put your mind at ease about the last mission."

Sakura smirked and looked back down at the ground, "I don't see how that could help. The fact that Naruto will be using crutches for a couple of days now means he'll be vulnerable, and it will constantly remind me of the last mission. I hope this person we're supposed to go with knows what he's doing."

Ino nodded in agreement, then tried to think of a different topic, "So when are you guys leaving tomorrow?"

Sakura looked at Ino for a moment, then looked back down, "Tsunade told me to be in her office by 9:00 A.M. I'll have to go by Naruto's place tomorrow morning, and help him out, too."

Ino nodded, telling Sakura she understood what she meant. There was a long pause, then Ino asked, "How long do you think you'll be gone?"

Sakura looked at Ino with a sad face, "I honestly don't know. Tsunade says it could be years before we come back…assuming we do."

Ino turned to face Sakura with a blank face, "Y…years? I…where does she expect you to go? The continent itself isn't that big. Two weeks is all it takes to travel from here to the Land of Lightning."

"I don't think we're going to be staying on this continent." Sakura said in a low voice, "Remember the symbol on the piece of paper that was supposed to protect me from being possessed? I've never seen anything like that in a history book. I think we'll be going to some other place that's far-far away from here." She released a nervous sigh, and hugged Ino tightly, "In the event I never see you again, Ino. I just want to thank you for being a good friend. I'm really going to miss you."

Tears started to form in Ino's eyes, and she wrapped her arms around Sakura, "I'll miss you, too, Sakura. Just promise me you'll be safe, and won't do anything reckless."

"I'll do my best." Sakura said with teas forming in her own eyes, "It just won't be the same without you around."

"And the same goes for you." Ino said, wiping some of her tears away, "The Leaf Village just won't be the same without you, Naruto or Kakashi. I'll miss all of you."

Sakura let out a small laugh, and she gently pushed Ino away, "Well, I guess we technically don't have to do this until tomorrow."

Ino laughed, and wiped the rest of her tears away, "Yeah, I guess that's true." She paused as she thought of something else, "Hey, Sakura, would you like it if I got all of the squads together to see you guys off so you can say your final good-byes? I know everyone was wanting to see Naruto, and it just wouldn't be right for you three to disappear."

Sakura smiled and nodded, "Yeah, that sounds like a great idea. I don't know when we'll be leaving, though."

Ino waved her hand in front of her, "That's fine. We'll have plenty of time to kill tomorrow morning."

Sakura smiled and rolled her eyes to the ground for a moment, then looked back at Ino, "Well…how about we play one last game of Monopoly together? We can at least think back to a friendly board game when we think of each other."

Ino smiled and nodded, "Sure. Good idea. Would you like me to make any food, or do you think you'll go to bed after the game."

Sakura thought for a moment, "Mmm…go ahead and make the food. I'll be in the kitchen to help you in a little bit."

Ino nodded, stood from the couch, and proceeded to the kitchen where she started making some random snacks while Sakura went to the bathroom to wash her hands. After their snacks were ready, the two girls spent the next few hours playing board games before calling it a night.

The Next Morning

Ino woke to the sound of someone walking down the stairs. She rolled over to look at her alarm clock, and saw it was already almost 8:20 A.M. Her eyes widened, and she immediately jumped out of her bed and chased after Sakura,

"Sakura, wait!" Ino cried out.

Sakura, who was fully geared up and reaching down for her backpack, looked up at the stairs as Ino came rushing down.

"Y-you're leaving already?" Ino asked in a desperate voice.

Sakura released a sad sigh and slowly nodded, "I'm sorry, Ino. I wanted to wake you, but…"

Ino smiled and rested her hand on Sakura's shoulder, "Oh, don't worry about it. I just wanted to give you something before you left. Can you wait here a second?"

Sakura smiled and nodded at Ino, "Sure. But you need to make it fast."

Ino nodded and ran back up the stairs to her room. A few seconds passed, and Ino came back down to Sakura with something in her hand. "Here. I want you to take this with you." Ino said, handing Sakura a book.

Sakura's eyes widened and she snatched the book from Ino's hands before she started flipping through the pages, "This…this is…" She looked up at Ino with an amazed look on her face, "H-how did you get this? This book contains so many different recopies for alchemical study!"

Ino smiled and took the book from Sakura, flipping it to the back page. "It's a gift from Shikamaru and the rest of team 10." Ino said, pointing to their signatures. "We thought it would be of more use to you than it is to us. I know you've been wanting to improve your alchemical skills, so here's the best thing to use it for." She handed it back to Sakura.

Sakura smiled, and pulled Ino into a friendly hug, "Thank you, Ino. I appreciate this a lot. I promise I'll put this book to good use."

Ino smiled and took the book again, "And look. There's still a lot of empty pages in the back. Maybe you'll find all kinds of new ingredients in this place you're going to, and you'll write down whatever you come up with?"

Sakura nodded, "I will. You can count on that." She took the book back from Ino.

"Oh! And another thing that I personally wanted you to have." Ino said. She reached behind her, untied her headband, and rested it on the book, "I want you to take this with you."

Sakura's eyes widened, and she stared at Ino in shock, "Y-you want me to take your headband?"

Ino smiled and nodded, "It's something I was hoping you could remember me by."

"Well…gosh, Ino, I…I wish there was something I could give you I return." Sakura said, still looking at Ino's headband. She looked up at Ino as an idea crossed her mind, "Why don't you take my headband? I doubt I'll be needing it anymore. At least not for a long time, anyway."

"Trade a headband for a headband? I guess that's a fair trade." Ino said. She walked behind Sakura and started to untie her headband, and tied her own on top of Sakura's head. "There! Hey, you look a bit better with a blue headband instead of your red one. It makes your hair stand out better."

Sakura smiled, and opened the door behind her, "Well, Ino. I guess I'll see you and everyone else at the gate?"

Ino smiled and nodded as a few tears started to fill her eyes, "We'll save our last good-bye for then."

They both bowed to each other, then Sakura ran off in a random direction.

Though she was short on time, Sakura made a quick detour to the jewelry repair store where she'd taken Naruto's necklace a few days prior. When she entered the building, she saw it was completely empty which relieved her.

" _Oh, good. There's no one here._ " She thought as she released a sigh of relief. At the far end of the room, she saw the old lady sitting on a stool.

"Good morning to you, dear. Can I help you?" The woman asked.

Sakura took a second to catch her breath before slowly approaching the woman, "Um, hi. I'm here to check on my friend's necklace. The one I brought you a few days ago…"

The woman thought for a moment, then smiled kindly, "Ah, yes! Just one minute, please." She stood from her stool and walked to the back of the room, disappearing behind the beads that were hanging from the door seal. A moment later, she came back behind the counter, and sat the box on the counter in front of Sakura.

Sakura smiled, and took the necklace out of the box to inspect it. She was speechless. The necklace looked almost as good as new without so much as a scratch. It sparkled in the sunlight reflecting off the walls, giving it an almost diamond-like appearance. "W…wow! You really outdid yourself with this, ma-am." Sakura said in amazement.

The woman smiled kindly at Sakura, "Thank you, dear. It's the original, too. It was a bit of a toughie to put it together again, but I think I got pretty close."

Sakura nodded in agreement, "You sire did. It looks as good as new."

The woman smiled, and started punching in some numbers on her cash register, "Now there's just one small matter left."

Sakura continued to examine the necklace for a moment, then put it back in the box and put the lid over the top. She then pulled her walled out of her backpack and prepared to give the woman her money.

"That will be…650 yin, young lady." The woman said.

Sakura nodded, and pulled the money out of her wallet. "Here's 900 yin for the necklace, miss." She said, catching the woman's attention.

The woman's eyes went wide, and she started to shake uncontrollably. She stared at the money for a second, then looked up at Sakura who was giving her an honest smile. "You…you really mean it?"

Sakura nodded, "Mmm-hmm. You deserve a tip for the work you put into that necklace. It's the only thing my friend may have left of value now. So please…take it. It's the least I can do for you."

The woman remained silent for a few moments, then took the money from Sakura. "Thank you, young lady. I appreciate your thankfulness."

"Oh, please. Call me Sakura." Sakura said, putting her wallet back in her backpack, and putting the box in a bigger pocket.

The woman smiled kindly and bowed her head, "Well, thank you very much, Sakura. I hope your friend makes a healthy recovery."

Sakura bowed her head, "Thank you, Ma-am. I'm sure he'd appreciate it. Now, I better get going. You take care now."

The woman smiled and nodded, "You, too, dear. Be safe."

Sakura waved behind her as she exited the store, and started running to Naruto's house.

When she arrived at Naruto's house, Sakura knocked on the door, and waited for an answer, but there was nothing after a few seconds. She knocked again, and still there was no answer. "Naruto! C'mon! We _need_ to get going!" She yelled as she pounded on the door.

"Go away." A low and depressed sounding voice said from the other side.

Sakura growled and kicked the door open, "Naruto! Where are yo-" She gasped and covered her mouth when she saw Naruto sitting in a chair at the other end of the room, holding a bloody kunai with blood dripping from his left arm.

"What's the point in me even going?" Naruto asked in a depressed voice, "It's not like I'll be of any use to anyone anymore."

Sakura immediately ran over to him, grabbed the kunai, and threw it over by the door. She then looked at Naruto again with a worried face and knelt down to his level, "Naruto, you…how could you?" She grabbed his arm and looked at it. To her relief, he had cut horizontally, which meant the wounds would be easier to heal. She started casting a healing jutsu on his arm, and could easily tell he was still upset by the way he was shaking.

"What's the point of even bothering anymore, Sakura? I'm just a bunch of dead weight now." Naruto said, staring down at the floor with tears dripping from his eyes.

Sakura remained silent for a bit as she focused on healing his cuts. When she finished, she held his hand tightly, and gently lifted his chin up so she could look him in the eye. "Naruto, listen to me. You're not worthless. Regardless of what anyone else in this village says, you're _not_ useless, and you never will be. You've saved my life more times than either I or Kakashi could count, and we have a lot to owe you for. I know things seem bad now, but I promise you we'll work through this together. I'm not going to abandon you to find a new life on your own. You're one of my best friends, and I know what you're going through right now-"

Naruto slapped her hand away and stood from his seat, "Yeah, it's easy for you to say that, Sakura!" He shouted, catching Sakura a little off guard, "'I know what you're going through. We'll get through it together' oh, spare me the small talk! That's real easy for _you_ to say, isn't it?! You're not the one who just had all of their dreams ripped away just like that, are you?!" He continued shouting, but eventually his words became so mixed in with his emotions that Sakura couldn't understand him.

She just remained sitting where she was, watching Naruto continue to scream and shout as he wandered from room to room, using the walls as a way to keep him balanced. Usually, she would have blown her top by now, and yelled at him to calm down, but in this case she couldn't blame him, and he had a point. She wasn't the one who had all her dreams and any ambitions ripped away from her in one single instant, nor did she break the news on him as easily as she could have. Instead, of stopping his tantrum, she just remained kneeling on the floor, waiting for him to calm down. However, when several minutes had passed, and it seemed like his emotions were really starting to get the better of him, Sakura stood from her place, and pulled Naruto into a comforting embrace. Naruto was still murmuring under his breath, but he stopped as Sakura started to rock him back and forth,

"Shhhhh. I know. I know." She whispered gently in his ear as she ran her hand up and down his back, "It'll be okay. I'm here. I'm here."

Letting his emotions get the better of him, Naruto buried his face into Sakura's shoulder and started to cry again.

Sakura rested her head against his and continued to rock him back and forth, stroking his back and neck at the same time, "Just let it all out. You'll be okay. I'm here for you." She whispered softly. She walked him to his bedroom and sat him down on his bed where she continued to comfort him for the next several minutes.

Once Naruto had calmed down a bit, Sakura gently pushed him back and looked him in the eyes, "Feel better?"

Naruto rolled his eyes down to the ground and nodded, "Yes…I guess so." He said in a slightly less depressed voice than before.

Sakura frowned at him, and wiped his tears away with her fingers, "It will all be okay, Naruto. I _promise_ you we'll find something that's just as interesting to you as being Hokage. But for right now, we _need_ to get going. Lady Tsunade is waiting to brief us on our next mission, and we can't be late." She gently patted his shoulder, stood from the bed, and took a few steps towards the next room before looking back at him, "I'll be waiting outside. I'll give you ten minutes to clean yourself up, but then we _need_ to get going. And I _am_ sorry, Naruto. I really, really am. I know what you're going through isn't easy, but we'll have to find a way to move on…somehow."

Naruto only stared silently as he watched Sakura leave. Once she was gone, he looked down at his floor for several minutes before releasing a sigh, grabbing his backpack and crutches, before heading out the door.

Once he was outside, he was greeted by a warm and caring smile from his teammate, and she helped him down the stairs. Naruto remained silent for the majority of the walk to the Hokage building, but he eventually realized how he had been acting, and turned to Sakura.

"Hey, Sakura…?"

Sakura looked at Naruto and smiled, "Yes?"

Naruto stared at the ground for a moment as he tried to think of what to say. He then looked back up at Sakura with a sorrowful, yet angry look, "I'm…sorry for the way I'm acting."

Sakura remained silent for a moment, then smiled kindly at him, "Oh, don't worry about it. I can't blame you for being upset over this, it's just not in my nature."

Naruto remained silent for a moment before looking back down at the ground, "I wish I was able to make a joke as easily as you right now."

Sakura smiled, and turned her attention to the path ahead of her, "I'm just glad you're still with me. You had me really worried over that last mission." She looked back at Naruto, "But can I just ask you of one last favor?"

Naruto looked at Sakura and nodded.

" _Never_ try and kill yourself again!" Sakura said in a firm voice, making Naruto feel even more ashamed of himself, "You know how much you scared me when I saw what you'd done to yourself? I don't care how depressed you get in the future, suicide is _never_ the answer. If you ever feel down about something, _talk_ to me about it. I'm not going to hate you for it. It's something I'm here for. If something bothers you, we'll find a way around it. Besides…it's just not like you to do that. I lost Sasuke to his own selfishness, and I don't want to lose you to it, too."

Naruto's eyes widened at the mention of Sasuke, and he started to feel even worse. He looked at Sakura nervously, "About Sasuke, Sakura...I know I made a promise, but…"

Sakura shook her head, "Forget it, Naruto. That was a long time ago, and it's basically impossible for you to keep that promise now. But it's not your fault. Don't let yourself get too down about it. It's out of your control now, and that's all there is to it."

Amazed she let it go so easily, Naruto only nodded, and watched the path ahead of them until they reached the Hokage building.

Outside of Tsunade's office, Sakura knocked on the door, and was told to enter by a voice on the other side. She opened the door, and met Kakashi already standing in the room.

"Yo." Kakashi said in his usual voice.

Sakura and Naruto's jaws dropped to the floor. "You're here already?! Since when do you arrive before us?!" Naruto yelled.

Kakashi closed his eye and smiled behind his mask, "Ah, well, ya see, I just randomly got the idea of showing up on time for once. So where have you two been?"

Sakura and Naruto both gave Kakashi a silent glare, and slowly entered the room, continuing to stare at him.

Tsunade cleared her throat, catching the attention of all of Squad Seven, and rested her elbows on her desk, "Well, seeing as how you're all here, I would like to say a few things before our…'recruiter' shows up. I just want the three of you to know that you're about to take part in the Leaf's biggest moment in history, and have the honor of being the squad chosen for the biggest mission in the history of our continent."

All of squad seven's eyes widened, and their jaws dropped in awe as Tsunade continued,

"Just a few short days ago, a messenger from a far off distant country came to us requesting for you three specifically. I do not know what he has planned for you, and I do not know if you will ever be coming back to the village."

Naruto's eyes widened, and he took a small step forward, "Wha…what do you mean we won't be coming back to the village, Grandma Tsunade?"

Tsunade sighed and focused her attention on Naruto, "This mission goes beyond the limits of what I ever thought was possible. An evil force believed to be long since destroyed is regaining its strength. If it cannot be stopped, the possibility of another Great Ninja War will be the least of our concerns. Our…contact…tells me that he and other members of his order are collecting all nine of the Jinchuuroki to keep them out of reach from this ancient evil."

Sakura stepped forward, cutting Tsunade off before she could continue, "And who exactly is this contact, Lady Tsunade? I think it's time you told us."

Tsunade smirked at Sakura and stood from her chair. "Why don't you ask him yourself?"

Before the others even had a chance to react, the lights in the room went off, and a strong wind started to circle the room. Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi looked around in awe before turning their attention to a cloud of black smoke that suddenly appeared in front of them. They waited for the smoke to clear, and a tall man in a dark green robe with a black mask covering his face was revealed.

Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi stared at the man in awe. He towered over them at a height of at least 6'4, and was armed to the teeth with weapons. He carried a bow on his back with several arrows, and over his shoulders, they could just see the handles of two swords. An aura of fear seemed to go through the room as the air grew cold and still.

(Author's Notes: If I recall right. Naruto characters in early Shippuden were not very tall. They stood at a height of 5'2 or something like that. Correct me if I'm wrong. It's been years since I even looked at Naruto.)

Almost afraid to do anything else, the three ninja remained completely silent.

Tsunade walked around her desk and stood by Night Hawk's side, "Squad Seven, I'd like to introduce you to your new temporary team member. This is Night Hawk – A pre-ranking member of the Seventeen Assassins from the Land of the Unknown."

Everyone's eyes widened, and Sakura looked at Tsunade, "Uh…Lady Tsunade, what's the Land of the Unknown?"

Tsunade turned her attention to Sakura, and explained, "Well, to be honest, Sakura, I don't really know. It's a place that was only believed to have existed in legend. They live completely independent of trade with other nations and have the strongest economy and military on the planet."

Sakura turned her attention back to Night Hawk and stared at him in awe, but her attention drifted to Naruto as he started to take a few steps forward. "And what about me? If I can't be a ninja anymore, what exactly am I supposed to do?"

Sakura continued to watch Naruto for a second, then turned her attention back to Night Hawk, "He does have a point, actually. Naruto can't use his chakra anymore, which means his ninja days are as good as done."

"I'll be the judge of that." Night Hawk said, cutting Sakura off. His voice caught her a little off guard, and made her blush slightly. It was deep, dangerous, and gave the impression he was possibly very attractive under his mask. He spoke in what could only be described as an aggressive whisper. He took a step towards Naruto, kneeled on one knee, grabbed Naruto's jaw, and started moving him around, getting a good look at his physical condition. "Hmm…yes, his ninja days _are_ over. However, he would still make a pretty decent soldier."

Naruto, Sakura, and Tsunade's eyes shot open. "Wha…what do you mean by that? If I can't use chakra-"

"The Unknown doesn't use this so called 'chakra', Naruto." Night Hawk said, cutting Naruto off, "The Unknown military isn't made up of ninja, it's beyond what you could possibly imagine. The injuries you sustained from your last mission my keep you from being a ninja here, but you could still go through our basic military training and be perfectly fine."

A small smile started to creep on Naruto's face that eventually turned into a big grin. "S-So my fighting days aren't over?"

"No. They're far from it." Night Hawk said.

Naruto's excitement got the better of him, and he tried to jump, but ended up hurting his leg when he landed, causing him to fall to the ground. "Owwwch!"

Sakura bent down to help him up, while Kakashi turned his attention back to Night Hawk, "So what's the mission? Why have you chosen _us_ three specifically?"

Night Hawk looked at Kakashi as he answered, "An ancient enemy of the Land of the Unknown – or Atlassia as we call it – has started to rebuild its strength. This force was believed to have been wiped out long ago, but it seems it managed to survive one way or another."

Just as Sakura finished pulling Naruto back to his feet, and throwing his arm around her shoulder, she looked at Night Hawk, "And what exactly is the name of this enemy? I get the feeling I've already had an experience with them."

Night Hawk looked at Sakura, "This force is a demonic cult known as the Agroneese. They are worshipers of the demonic lord of fear, Agromon, and they will stop at nothing to wipe humanity out of existence. Their belief is the people they kill in this life will be the souls they torture for the rest of eternity when they become demons themselves. Originally, we were only interested in Naruto and the other Jinchuuroki. However, we had to make an exception in this case. Somehow, an Agroneese spirit managed to make it here, which is the reason I came here instead of a squad of Honor or Shadow Guard. This spirit wanted to possess Naruto's body so it could take him back to the Agroneese itself and use him against us."

"So why do you want me and Sakura, then?" Kakashi asked.

"Your connection to Naruto puts you in greater risk than you may realize. Sakura and her friend, Ino, have already witnessed what one of these spirits can do. And that was a weak spirit. These spirits feed on the emotions of the people around them, and become stronger with each passing second. Your continent has never faced the Agroneese before, which means you have no way of protecting yourself from these spirits or the Agroneese as a whole. If you remain here, you're only putting yourselves, as well as this entire village, at risk." Night Hawk said.

Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi looked at each other, then looked back at Night Hawk and nodded, letting him know they understood. "So what's objective number one?" Sakura asked.

Night Hawk walked over to the wall to his right and stood next to a map. He pointed his finger at a specific place just above the Land of Mist, "The Unknown Navy has a fleet scheduled to arrive at this city. The Village Hidden in the Waves. It's a tourist resort that is currently hosting a carnival. If you're lucky, we may get there the day before the carnival closes, and have some time to yourselves before the fleet arrives."

Sakura stared at Night Hawk in amazement, " _Fleet? Wow, this guy's not messing around. This is the real deal, isn't it_?" She shook her head to clear her thoughts, and asked, "So, wait. We get to the carnival, wait for the fleet to arrive, then…we're literally going half way around the world?"

Night Hawk nodded, "That is correct. The second you step foot on the ship you're directed to, the word 'shinobi' will mean nothing to you. It will become nothing but a distant memory. However, you will not be put into basic training for our military directly. I believe another assassin may have plans for you."

"And who is this other assassin?" Kakashi asked.

"He goes by the name of Night Walker, and is the commander of the Unknown fleet you'll be traveling with…possibly on his own ship – the Eclipse." Night Hawk said.

Naruto and Sakura's jaws dropped, "You're kidding! Any idea what we should expect?" Sakura asked.

Night Hawk looked at Sakura and smirked, "You just do as you're told and you'll do just fine. I'm not sure what Night Walker may have planned for you, but it would be wise to what he says when he says it. He's one of the main commanders of the Atlassian military, and controls a large number of troops. In fact, he may be the best commanding officer the world has ever seen."

"But what about the others?" Naruto asked, catching Night Hawk's attention, "What about the other people who are like me? What will become of them?"

"Squads of Honor and Shadow Guard have already been sent to track these people down and brought back to the fleet." Night Hawk said, "The only exception to this is Gaara from the sand village. As Kazekage, he cannot leave. Instead, he will be protected by members of the Honor and Shadow Guard – the two most elite factions within the Unknown military."

Naruto nodded, letting Night Hawk know he understood, while Kakashi looked to Tsunade, "Well, I suppose we know everything we need to for the time being. Who will our replacements be?"

Tsunade closed her eyes and shook her head, "I don't know yet." She cleared her throat before she continued, "Alright squad seven, this is your final order from me." Naruto and Sakura turned their attention to Tsunade as she continued, "From this moment on, you are no longer ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village. You are new recruits of the Unknown military, and will be taking your orders from Night Hawk until he puts you under someone else's wing. However, in the event you come back, you will be welcome. Who knows? Being half an earth away, you may just decide to live in the Unknown."

"Technically speaking, that is actually illegal." Night Hawk said, catching everyone's attention, "Atlassians as a people frown on immigration, and only those who have bloodlines connecting to a family that originated from the country may move back. However, this is a special case that we may be able to work around. Certain members of the pre-ranking assassins - such as Night Walker – are very powerful political figures, and usually the assassins have the final say in a lot of matters if they're of interest to us. _If_ these three prove themselves as honorable individuals the Unknown trusts, they may have a chance to call the Unknown their new home. But there's a long way to go before that happens."

Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi all looked at each other in awe, then looked back at Night Hawk, "What is it like to live in the Unknown?" Naruto and Sakura asked at the same time.

Night Hawk smirked at the two of them, "You'll get a sense of when the fleet arrives. Now, I suggest we start moving. We have a lot of ground to cover."

Tsunade rolled her eyes to Night Hawk, "Wait a second, Night Hawk. I'd like to say something."

Night Hawk gave Tsunade his full attention.

"You have proven yourself to be a true ally of the Leaf Village and its people. Should you ever need aid, we would be glad to help." Tsunade said.

Night Hawk stared at Tsunade for a moment, then gave her a slow nod. He then gathered his three companions, and they left the room, leaving Tsunade with a funny feeling in her stomach. She stared at the floor for a moment, then walked over to the window where she watched the street that lead to the village gate below her, where she'd see squad seven for the final time.


	8. Chapter 7 part 2

**Chapter 7**

 **Part 2**

Leaving the Hokage building, Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi didn't know what to think or expect what was going to happen in their near future. Inside, they were a mix of excited, scared, ambitious, and nervous. At the very least, though, Naruto had received some good news. Though he may not be able to be a shinobi anymore, his fighting days were still not over, which made both him and Sakura very happy.

As they walked down the street that lead directly to the main gate, Sakura walked just beside Naruto to see how he was holding up, and so she could be there in case he were to trip or lose his balance somehow. Inside she felt relieved. Naruto wasn't taking the news that he wouldn't be a shinobi as hard as he was before, and his goofy grin was starting to come back, which greatly put Sakura at ease.

" _Well, Naruto, it seems you just may achieve your dreams after all._ " Sakura thought as she focused on Naruto in the corner of her eye. However, she was taken out of her thoughts as Naruto turned to her,

"Hey, Sakura? What do you think this new place will be like? If they don't use ninja, what do you think their military is like?" Naruto asked.

Sakura looked at Naruto for a second, then started rubbing her chin as she thought about her answer, "Hmm…that's a good question, actually. Here, ninja are pretty much the backbone of any military force. So, I really don't know what to expect. I guess we'll know in a few days, though."

"So how far is it to this village we're going to?" Naruto asked.

"About a five day journey." Night Hawk said, catching Naruto and Sakura's attention. The Unknown fleet will be arriving in six days, which is why we need to hurry. Night Walker isn't exactly a patient person."

"And how long will the journey at sea take?" Sakura asked.

"Three months. Give or take." Night Hawk said, "It depends on which port we arrive at, though."

Suddenly, Naruto started to feel sick, and he held his hands on his stomach. "Three months on a ship? I think I'm getting sick already."

Sakura laughed, "Oh, don't worry. I'm sure there's going to be plenty to do to keep you from worrying about sea sickness."

Naruto looked at Sakura and smirked, "I certainly hope so." He turned his attention to Night Hawk, "So, uh, just out of curiosity, how long would it take to swim?"

Sakura rolled her eyes and shook her head, but listened to Night Hawk as he answered, "Well, if you're certain you want to do that, you're looking at four years minimum. However, I feel it's only fair to warn you the waters around the Unknown are feared by foreign sailors for a reason."

Naruto's eyes widened, and he looked in a random direction as he scratched his cheek, "Well, when you put it like that…I guess the ship doesn't sound so bad."

Sakura chuckled, and playfully elbowed Naruto's arm as she walked a little closer to him, "Afraid of some sea monster are we?"

Naruto looked at Sakura with a funny face, "I'm not afraid of _anything_. Got it?"

"You mean aside from healthy food, right?" Sakura asked,

Naruto opened his mouth to say something, but silently glared at Sakura instead, making her giggle.

"Well, I'm sure everything will be fine. Just stay away from the railing. I don't want to have to dive in the water after you." Sakura said. She stuck her tongue out at him, and made a funny face before quickening her pace.

"Oh yeah? Well, the same thing goes for you, Sakura!" Naruto shouted as he tried to chase after her, but to no avail.

Sakura giggled and stuck her tongue out, "You'll never catch me with those crutches, you know."

"Yeah, you just wait 'till I'm able to run again. You'll regret teasing me like this." Naruto said.

Sakura only laughed in response, and returned her attention to the road ahead of her.

As they approached the gate, Sakura, Naruto and Kakashi saw the other squads lined up to say their good-byes. Naruto and Sakura smiled, and rushed towards them as fast as Naruto could move while Kakashi just kept at his regular pace. Night Hawk, however, disappeared down an alley to take the long way around to the gate.

As Naruto and Sakura approached their friends, the guys ran to Naruto, while the girls met Sakura halfway. They each took turns hugging Sakura and shaking her hand, and a few gave her a few small tokens to help her remember them. Meanwhile, the guys patted Naruto on the back, shook his hand, gave him some friendly hugs, and congratulated him for surviving the hospital, and wished him well.

As Kakashi approached, the other squad leaders shook his hand, giving him their final good-byes, and a few gave him a few departing gifts. Guy was the most emotional one, but Kakashi patted his shoulder, saying "I'll miss out rivalry the most, Guy."

While everyone was giving their good-byes to the three ninja, Night Hawk snuck behind the crowd and patiently waited for his companions just outside the gate. However, he wasn't unnoticed.

"So he's who you're going with?" Ino asked, looking over Sakura's shoulder as she hugged her.

Sakura broke away from Ino's hug and looked in the direction of the gate, then looked back at Ino, "Yeah. Apparently, he's a pre-ranking member of a group called the Seventeen Assassins. I have no idea what that means, but…he looks like he's a force to be reckoned with."

Ino nodded in agreement, "I'll say. He looks pretty dangerous."

Sakura released a sad sigh, and slowly backed away from Ino. "I guess this is good-bye, huh?"

Ino looked at Sakura with a blank face for a second, then looked at the ground as she released an even more depressed sigh, "Yeah…I guess so. Sakura, just in case you ever come back, I want you to know you'll always be welcome here. I wish you, Naruto and Kakashi the best."

Sakura smiled, and pulled Ino to her for one last hug, "Thanks, Ino. I'll never forget you or all you've done for me." She separated from Ino and looked at the other girls, "And that goes for all of you, too. Thank you. All of you. You'll always hold a special place in my heart."

The other girls each hugged Sakura, one by one, before saying their final good-bye and making their way to Naruto while the boys came over to Sakura. Sakura smiled at Shikamaru as he approached, and shook his hand, "Thanks, Shikamaru. I hope everything works out for you in the end."

Shikamaru smiled, "Ah, don't worry about me. You just take care of yourself and Naruto. I hope you put that book we gave you to some good use."

"Oh, I will." Sakura said, patting the pocket of her backpack the book was in, "You can count on that. Maybe I'll send a re-written copy to you sometime in the future."

"Hey, now, there's something to think about. I look forward to it." Shikamaru said. He shook Sakura's hand one last time, then stood aside as Neji approached,

While Sakura was busy with the boys, Naruto was being surrounded by the girls as they each hugged him, wished him a happy trip, and slid some gifts into his backpack.

"Well, Naruto, I guess this is our final good-bye." Ino said, shaking Naruto's hand, and wrapping her arms around him, "I kind of regret not hanging out with you more. You're a good guy, Naruto. I'm sorry to hear about your left arm, though."

Naruto chuckled and gave Ino his goofy grin as they separated, "Ah, don't worry about that. My fighting days aren't done yet."

Ino smiled softly, "Glad to hear it, Naruto. You take care of yourself."

Naruto smiled and nodded, "Yeah, you, too, Ino." He watched as Ino stood back, then turned his attention to Ten-Ten as she approached.

A few minutes later, Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi met Night Hawk – who was standing in the middle of the road, patiently waiting – and looked back one last time at their friends. They each waved good-bye for the final time, then followed Night Hawk as he turned around and started walking. A while later, Naruto and Sakura looked back at the village, and saw their old friends were nothing but distant specs on the horizon. A few tears slid down their cheeks, and they turned away from the village for the final time.

"And one chapter ends…and another begins." Sakura said.

Naruto only nodded in agreement as he stared at the ground, brainstorming over how he'd put it all behind him. After a period of silence, he turned to Sakura and said, "That was a little easier than I thought it would be. I don't know if I should feel good or bad about that."

Sakura looked at Naruto and patted his shoulder, "There's no crime in it, Naruto. If that was easy for you, it means you won't regret leaving later on. However, I found it to be harder than I expected."

"That's because you said good-bye, Sakura." Kakashi said while reading his book, catching Sakura and Naruto's attention, "If you hadn't said good-bye, things would have been a lot easier on you."

Naruto and Sakura looked at each other, then looked at Kakashi with confused faces, "Then what exactly were we supposed to say, Kakashi Sensei?" Sakura asked.

Kakashi smiled at the two young ninja behind his mask, and closed his eye, "I'll see you later would have been better. Besides, I think we'll be coming back…sometime or another."

Sakura sighed and looked down at the ground for a moment, then turned back to see the village, but realized there was nothing to see as they'd gone over a hill. She then turned her attention to Night Hawk, "So what happens when we board our ship? Will you still be our squad leader, Night Hawk?"

Night Hawk glanced back at Sakura, then returned his attention to the road, "It's more than likely Night Walker will take command of your squad when we meet him in a few days. I do not know what he may have planned for you, so you should expect anything. However, I believe he was counting on Naruto being able to use his chakra, so that's a bit of a setback."

Kakashi tore his attention from his book, and looked at Night Hawk, "But why would he want us three specifically? Why not one of the other eight jinchuriki?"

"Because Naruto possesses the spirit of the Nine-Tailed Fox, I'd imagine." Night Hawk said, shrugging his shoulders. "Technically speaking, he would arguably be one of the more powerful people in the fleet, but that changed the second he couldn't use chakra anymore. The most likely thing to happen now is that he'll put you three through a course of some basic military training where you'll learn our battle strategies, how to use our weapons, and so on."

"And what happens when we reach the mainland?" Sakura asked.

"It depends on the situation, Sakura." Night Hawk said, still looking at the road ahead of him. "Now, I suggest we quicken our pace as much as possible. We have a multi-day journey ahead of us, and Night Walker would be…less than happy if we were to keep him waiting."

There was a period of silence as the group made some progress down the road. Naruto was struggling to keep the pace, and Sakura could tell he wasn't going to last much longer. She watched his body language for a while before deciding to speak up.

"Okay, guys. Wait a minute." Sakura said, catching Kakashi and Night Hawk's attention. She watched as Naruto tried to catch his breath, and took his water container off his backpack before helping him drink. As he took the water container into his own hands, Sakura took a step back and waited for him to finish drinking. Once he'd finished, she took the water from him, and smiled kindly, "You know, Naruto, you don't need to do this yourself. I could carry you for a while if you want me to."

Naruto looked at Sakura with a surprised look on his face, "Y-you mean it? That would be a lot easier."

Sakura nodded, and took his water from him. "Sure I mean it. Just don't try any funny business." She put the water container back in Naruto's backpack, took her own backpack off, and kneeled on the ground in front of him.

Naruto, though thinking it was a little awkward, took a step forward where he was standing just behind Sakura, then leaned on her back as she stood up, bending her arms around his knees.

Night Hawk smirked and crossed his arms, "Kind of strange for the female to carry the male. Usually, it's the other way around."

Kakashi laughed and turned his attention to Night Hawk, "Well, she may not look it, but Sakura is one of the strongest people in the Hidden Leaf village. Even with both their equipment, Naruto weighs about as much as a feather to her. She has precise chakra control, and could crush the largest of boulders with ease."

Night Hawk nodded, "I'm aware of this. I read her file while I was in the village. I know everything I need to know about the three of you. Luckily for you, we're not enemies."

Night Hawks words caught Sakura's attention, and as she caught up to the two of them, she asked, "So just how powerful are the seventeen? And why are there precisely seventeen of you?"

Night Hawk turned back to the road and started walking again as he answered, "Well, long ago, in what I may as well describe as a time that was before recorded history for you, the Land of the Unknown was a mythological religious nation, meaning the people then believed in more than one god. Just as there were seventeen gods the people loved and worshipped, there were also demons the people feared."

"And the seventeen represent those seventeen demons?" Sakura asked.

Night Hawk remained silent for a moment as he thought of the answer, then looked back at Sakura as he continued, "Well, the answer to that is both yes and no. Technically speaking, the first four rankings are actually considered to be angels more than anything. There has never been a time when one of these rankings walked the earth, though, so they're really more legends than anything. The fifth ranking, is neutral, meaning he is neither good nor evil. The remaining twelve, however, are strictly evil. In our recorded history, the two most powerful assassins to have ever lived were the original fifth and sixth rankings. The fifth ranking was a man who went by the name of Night Blade. The sixth was a monster who went by the name of Shadow Snake, and he is still believed to be the most evil being to have ever walked the planet. He and night Blade went toe-to-toe in a personal war. Entire cities were wiped out over-night if they got caught between those two."

The three ninja stared at Night Hawk in awe for a while, but Sakura managed to find another question. "So what about the pre-ranking members? People like you, I mean?"

Night Hawk looked at Sakura again, "In order to become an actual member of the seventeen, there is one crucial test that must be passed. It's known as the Blihkt Ritah, or in your tongue, it roughly translates to blood sacrifice. Long story short is this is a very dangerous last test that no one ever looks forward to. It only lasts for a few seconds, but to the tester, it can seem like an eternity. Those who take this test will feel pain greater than they could possibly imagine, and they will go through horrid illusions. Five-hundred people could be lined up to take this one final test, but only one would survive or keep his sanity. But for those who pass, they are gifted with unimaginable power. The ability to control the elements, control forbidden magic, and in some cases, be gifted with immortality. Pre-ranking assassins are people who are believed to be the most likely to survive the Blihkt Ritah."

Again the ninja could only stare at him in awe, and there was a long period of silence.

"So I guess you guys are really powerful, huh?" Naruto finally asked.

Night Hawk rolled his eyes to Naruto, then turned his attention back to the road, "I think that would be a case where actions would speak louder than words. And you may get a chance to see this for yourself. Our path takes us along the Eastern Passage."

The other three ninja stopped, and looked at Night Hawk in shock. "The…the Eastern Passage? It's crazy to go there! That's bandit territory." Sakura said.

Night Hawk didn't stop, he just kept walking, "Bandits are of little concern to me. Poor training, unorganized, and they only attack those who can't defend themselves."

"Yeah, but their numbers won't be anything to snip at." Sakura said, trying to make her opinion heard, "We could take a longer way around. We haven't had a military insurgency in the area for quite some time. These bandits could have a small army at their disposal."

"I'll remain by what I said. We stick to the plan." Night Hawk said, still watching the road ahead of him.

"But…"

"That's enough, Sakura." Kakashi said, cutting Sakura off, "Me, you and an assassin. I think we'll be fine."

Sakura looked over shoulder at Naruto, then looked at Kakashi again, "But what about Naruto? If we're ambushed, he'll be the easiest target."

Kakashi looked at Naruto for a moment, then looked at Sakura, "He'll be fine. Somehow I get the feeling you'll be keeping a closer eye on him from now on, anyway."

Sakura sighed and hung her head for a moment, then looked at Kakashi again, "Well, as medic of the squad, it's my job to stay close to the wounded at all times." She looked over her shoulder at Naruto again, then looked down at the ground, "I guess we'll be okay. But I just think it'd be easier to avoid conflict all together."

"If we don't take the eastern passage, we'll have to walk through the forest and thick overgrowth. If you'd rather do that, then be my guest." Night Hawk said, "But I won't defend your case if you're late or left behind by the fleet."

Sakura thought about her options. Though she didn't like the idea of going through bandit territory, she didn't really like the idea of possibly missing the fleet either. On top of that, she was curious about Night Hawk's skills, and wanted to see him in action. She pondered for a few minutes, then finally gave in.

"Alright. I guess bandit territory it is, then."

"Smart girl. Now, both of you better check your equipment. We'll be entering their territory before night fall." Night Hawk said.

Kakashi and Sakura both nodded, and started preparing their equipment as they walked.

Hours later, when the moon was high in the sky, Night Hawk ventured off the road, and found a good camping spot. The ground was flat, and they were hidden from the road by the trees and bushes. There were two logs the ninja could use as seats, and one of the trees had a hollow trunk that looked as if an animal had used it for shelter in the past at some point. Night Hawk studied the area for a few moments, then turned to his three companions. "We'll rest here for the night."

Thankful for those words, the three ninja fell off their feet, finding the first agreeable sitting space, and threw off their shoes and boots.

"Man, how long did we walk? A good twelve hours?" Sakura asked.

"Fourteen to be exact." Night Hawk said, still standing, "If it were just me, I could continue on for a few days, but you three don't have the stamina that I possess."

Sakura sat down on one of the logs, and watched as Naruto started trying to walk without the crutches. "Uh, Naruto, you might want to…"

Before she could finish, Naruto lost his balance, and fell on the log behind him. He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head nervously while looking at the others, "I guess I'm not ready to walk on my own yet."

Sakura smiled and shook her head, "No. That won't happen for a few days, Naruto. How do you feel by the way?"

Naruto turned his attention to Sakura and looked at her with a blank face as he tried to process her question. "Hmm? Oh! I'm fine. My leg is a little numb, but I'll get over it."

Sakura nodded in approval, "Glad to hear it. I think you'll be able to walk by the time we get to the carnival, though. We'll try setting up some challenges for you until we get there."

Naruto nodded, and turned his attention to Night Hawk as he started walking into the forest, "Where are you going, Night Hawk?"

Night Hawk looked back at Naruto, "To hunt. I'll be back soon."

The three ninja nodded, and watched as night Hawk disappeared into the night.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

 **Night Haw's Dominance**

After returning from his hunt, Night Hawk returned to the camp site, and saw Kakashi and Sakura had already sat up the tents and had a fire going. Over his right shoulder, he carried a doe he'd managed to strike in the neck with an arrow. As he entered the camp, he walked past Naruto and Sakura, who were sitting next to each other on a log, drooled at the feast to come. He went several meters away from the camp, hung the deer from a tree branch, and started skinning and gutting the animal.

Sakura watched Night Hawk work for a while, then turned her attention back to Naruto, "Anyway, as I was saying, it's important that you keep yourself hydrated in this situation. Your body is 70% water, and it needs fluid in order to heal faster. Are you feeling any cramps or anything? If you are, you _need_ to tell me."

Naruto shook his head, "No, Sakura, I'm fine. In fact…don't take this the wrong way or anything, but…the more you do this, the more I feel like I'm a burden. And I don't like it."

Sakura frowned and rested her hand on Naruto's shoulder, "You're not a burden, Naruto. I'd rather have to spend the next three weeks looking over you than watch your body be lowered into the ground in a coffin. So…for what it's worth, try to find some comfort in that. Okay?"

Naruto looked at Sakura and nodded with a small smile curving his lips.

Sakura patted Naruto's shoulder, and stood from the log, "Good. I'm glad I'm getting through to you. Anyway, I'm going to head to the creek and refill our water containers. I'll be back in a bit." She started walking in the direction of Kakashi, who randomly held out his water container when she got close.

Sakura looked down at Kakashi, and smirked before resting her hands on her hips, "Oh, what's the matter, Sensei? Too lazy to get it yourself?"

Kakashi smiled innocently behind his mask with his eye closed, "Well, since you're going down there, anyway, why should I waste my energy?"

Sakura rolled her eyes and took Kakashi's water container, "Boys. You're all the same. Fine, but don't blame me if yours isn't completely full."

Night Hawk turned around to watch Sakura disappear behind a tall bush, but focused his attention to the right as something caught his eye. " _Hmm…this wasn't such a great place to set up camp after all it seems…_ "

As she descended down the bank to the creek, Sakura lit her path with a flashlight she'd managed to buy before leaving the village. The creek was flowing quickly, and it was fairly deep with clear water. "Ah, good. This stuff should be fresh enough to only have to boil once over." She sat the water containers – that were made of a fine metal, which meant the water could be boiled inside them – next to her, and ran her own water container through the creek first. Once it was full, she screwed the top on, and prepared Naruto's container. However, some movement in the weeds across the water caught her attention, and she stood up from her knees. " _I have to remember that we're in bandit territory. Maybe coming here alone wasn't such a great idea…_ " She thought.

She armed herself with a kunai knife, and ordered whoever it was to come out. "I know you're there. Come out now, and I promise not to harm you." She watched closely as the vegetation across the water started swaying back and forth, and moving in a way that hinted the person was coming her direction. She readied herself for anything, and prepared to jump on the intruder when he cleared the vegetation. Just as she was ready to pounce, a doe and a fawn came out from behind the weeds, and stared at her in shock.

Just as surprised to see them as they were to see her, Sakura only stared at the mother and baby deer and blinked a few times. A few seconds passed, and she lowered her guard, "Ohhh! Beware the terrors of the wilds: White Tailed Deer." She said mockingly to herself. She smiled at the fawn for a moment, then ran Kakashi's water container through the water, then turned to go back to the camp, but saw Night Hawk standing further down the bank. In the corner of her eye, she saw the two deer jump back into the vegetation, and she walked over to Night Hawk.

"Hey, Night Hawk, what's going on? Did you skin that deer already?" She asked curiously. She didn't notice it at first, but Night Hawk's vision was focused on the darkness across the water. He suddenly drew two short swords from inside his robe, forcing Sakura to take a step back from shock, and turned his attention to her,

"Sakura, get back to the camp. We're about to entertain some visitors."

Sakura's eyes widened, and she looked across the creek for a moment, then turned back to Night Hawk, "Are we under attack? Who's coming? How many?"

"Just go." Night Hawk's voice deepened in a way that made Sakura's blood run cold, and made the hair on the back stand up. Without hesitation, she ran back up the hill to the camp site. When she reached the top of the bank, she looked back down to see Night Hawk walking across the water with his swords drawn. She watched him for a few seconds, then started running to the camp.

"Kakashi Sensei! We've got trouble coming!" Sakura shouted as she ran into the light of the fire.

Kakashi rose to his feet, and went over to Naruto where he and Sakura stood between Naruto, keeping a 360 degree view of the camp. "Who's coming? Do you know?" Kakashi asked.

Sakura shook her head, "No. Night Hawk was down at the creek, and told me to come back here. He sounded pretty serious."

Kakashi looked over to the deer that was still hanging from the tree, and saw Night Hawk had indeed left. He readied a kunai knife, and prepared for an attack from the darkness.

Naruto tried to stand, but Sakura saw him in the corner of her eye.

"Stay put, Naruto. Let us handle this. You're in no condition to fight."

Naruto looked up at Sakura in shock, "But…Sakura, I…"

"Sakura's right, Naruto. Let us handle this." Kakashi said.

Naruto looked at both his teammates a few times, then released a sigh, "Fine. I'll watch your flanks, then."

Both Sakura and Kakashi nodded in agreement, and Sakura winked back at Naruto, "See? You're useful for _some_ things." She then turned back to skimming the area in front of her.

Naruto smirked and rolled his eyes, then started focusing on Sakura and Kakashi's blind spots.

A while passed, and Sakura, Naruto and Kakashi had lowered their guard a little. "Its been nearly half an hour. How long does he expect us to stay like this?" Sakura asked.

Kakashi shook his head, "No idea. Maybe it was just a precaution in case there were more people nearby."

Sakura shrugged her shoulders, "Well, I guess that is a possibility."

Just then, there was some grunting and heavy moans coming from the direction of the creek. Sakura and Kakashi readied themselves, and noticed Night Hawk was dragging someone back to the camp site.

Sakura's eyes widened, and she ran over to their squad leader, "Night Hawk! What's going on here?"

Night Hake kicked the person – who at the time was lying on his stomach – and flipped him over on his back at Sakura's feet. "He's a bandit scout. He and six others had been keeping an eye on the camp since I left to hunt. He told me he's part of a larger group around fifty strong. Just recently they attacked a village, and slaughtered the population."

Sakura studied the bandit for a moment, and noticed the tattoos he had on his face. Her eyes widened, and she looked up at Night Hawk, "He's part of the Mist Hunters. They're responsible for kidnapping and raping women from all over this area. Just recently, there was a report that this group alone is responsible for over three-hundred kidnappings."

"So how did you get him to tell you this information?" Kakashi asked, as he walked up to the bandit.

Night Hawk showed the three ninjas his swords were covered in blood before wiping them off with a rag, and sheathing them, "I guess he saw I just had such a _killer_ personality with his friends, he decided to tell me what I wanted to know."

"So what do we do now? If he and his friends don't report back to their camp soon, they'll send out more search parties." Kakashi said.

"And on top of that, they may have prisoners at their camp as well." Sakura said in a worried tone. "These are innocent people. We can't leave them at the hands of these lowlifes." She said, kicking the bandit's face.

Night Hawk looked at the bandit for a moment, then looked at Sakura, "You're saying these people are sex traffickers, then?"

Sakura nodded, "Or something of that kind of ilk, anyway."

"Hmm…" Night Hawk twirled a knife around in his hand for a moment, then threw it at the bandit's right hand, pinning him to a tree root under the dirt, forcing him to scream in agony. "For your sake, those people better be well taken care of, or you'll regret you were ever born by the time I get back." He then turned his attention to the three ninja, "Okay, here's the plan. I'm going to go to the camp and introduce myself to these bandits, and see if I can't 'convince' their leader to release their prisoners. Meanwhile, I want you three to head to the village and look for survivors. There's bound to be one or two children that managed to hide from the attackers, and they may need medical attention. I'll meet you at the village after I've taken care of our next door neighbors, and dealt with our little spy. And, Sakura, in the event you do find someone, they are not to leave until I arrive. Got it?"

Sakura nodded, "Understood."

"So where is this village?" Kakashi asked, looking down at the bandit.

The bandit, who was trying to pull the knife out of his hand continued to struggle for a moment, before he was able to process Kakashi asked him. He stopped trying to pull the knife out of his hand, and turned to Kakashi. He smirked a crooked smile, "Wouldn't you like to know."

Kakashi reached down and grabbed the bandit's shirt, and pulled him closer, "I asked you a question, you piece of filth!"

The bandit only grinned and spat on Kakashi's mask. Kakashi slammed him back down on the ground, and watched as Night Hawk stepped closer to the bandit, making his eyes widen. "No! No! I-I was just kidding! Don't hurt me! I'll tell, I'll te-"

Before the bandit was able to finish his pleas, Night Hawk stepped on the handle of the knife, and sent it further into the ground, making the bandit scream in pain and agony as he begged for mercy. Without warning, Night Hawk then kicked the bandit's other shoulder, dislocating his arm, and making him scream even more.

"I'm only going to ask this _once_." Night Hawk said as he pulled a jagged edged dagger and held it to the man's spinal cord, "Where. Is. The. Village?! If you don't tell me, I guarantee you, you'll wish I'd killed you another way."

"No, wait! I'll tell you! Just…just let me think!"

"You're out of time. Start talking." Night Hawk said, grabbing the bandit's shirt, and slamming him on the ground.

"I-i-i-it's just two and a half miles to the West of here! That's all I know, I swear!"

Night Hawk pulled the bandit up by his shirt again and looked him in the eye, "Now that wasn't so hard, was it? Now sleep tight." He slammed his fist against the bandit's jaw, knocking him out cold, then turned to face his three companions. "Alright, you heard him. You three better get going."

Sakura and Kakashi nodded, and Kakashi went ahead, jumping through the trees as quickly as possible. Sakura went over to Naruto, had him climb on her back, and chased after Kakashi while Night Hawk headed in the direction of the bandit camp.

Catching up with Kakashi, Sakura tried to keep his pace, "What do you think the chances are of there being any survivors?" She asked as she looked down the path ahead with hopeful eyes.

Kakashi shook his head, "It's too early to tell now. Don't get your hopes up."

Sakura nodded, and followed closely behind Kakashi. She looked over her shoulder as she heard Naruto grunting.

"Jerks! How can they attack a village full of innocent people!?"

"It's like Night Hawk said, Naruto. These bandits prey on the weak and defenseless because they can't compete with military trained ninja such as you, me and Sakura. However, I get a feeling it will be ninja they're dealing with once Night Hawk arrives at their camp."

Sakura looked back towards the campsite for a moment, then looked at Kakashi, "Do you think it was really such a wise idea to split up? One man against fifty? Bandits or now, those odds aren't very favorable."

Kakashi glanced back at Sakura for a moment, then fixed his eyes on the path ahead again, "He'll be fine. Besides, based off the little I know about these assassins…he's in a whole other league compared to us…or even Lady Tsunade herself."

A while later, Kakashi, Sakura and Naruto arrived outside the village walls, and could see right away there had indeed been an attack recently. The air was thick and heavy from the smoke of the debris, and the smell of death was still in the air.

Kakashi walked up to the gate where a man had been crucified on the wall with the words "Be gone" written on his half-naked corpse. He groaned angrily, and turned back to Sakura, "This doesn't look good. If you find anyone still alive, it may be best just to put them out of their misery."

Sakura stared at the crucified man in horror for a few moments, then turned her attention to Kakashi as he pushed the gates to the village open. She walked over to him, and saw most of the buildings had been burned the ground. Bodies were littered all over, and vultures and other wildlife had already started feeding on the bodies of the villagers.

With deep breathes, Sakura and Kakashi pushed forwards, hoping to find at least one survivor.

On a hill overlooking the bandit camp, Night Hawk skimmed the area below.

"Hmm…sure enough, there's around fifty bandits, and it seems they've got a nice little set up." He continued to observe the camp for a while, memorizing every detail. The camp was surrounded by a wooden palisade wall, and there were a number of wooden buildings in the camp. He watched closely as he saw a couple of men drag a woman out of one of the buildings, as well as a small boy who he assumed was the woman's son. He watched as they pushed the boy down, and hung his mother from a tree branch before they started ripping her clothes off, and stood back as a bigger man – who he presumed was the bandit chief – approached her, and started having his way with her. He returned his attention to the woman's son, and saw they were tying his feet to a horse, and preparing to make it run through the forest.

Another group of men coming into the site caught his attention with another woman. This time, they tied her to a cross, and poured what looked like gasoline all around her before another man with a torch came out of the building. Night Hawk had reached his limit, and he vanished into a shadowy cloud before reappearing in the middle of the camp.

"Hi, there."

Suddenly, every bandit and hostage turned to face him, and the bandit chief stepped forward. "Who are you to intrude here?"

"No one special."

"Then that's how you'll die! Get 'em, boys!" The bandit chief yelled.

The bandits unleashed a war cry, drew their weapons, and charged at Night Hawk head on.

With a smirk, Night Hawk watched as the first bandit approached him, and tried to swing his sword at him. With ease, Night Hawk grabbed the man's throat with his left arm, lifted him into the air, and ran one of his short swords through the man's body before throwing him aside. "Now who's next?"

Another bandit came from behind and stabbed at Night Hawk's back, but he was blocked without Night Hawk even looking. Night Hawk then spun around, grabbed the blade of the man's sword, and ripped the handle out of his hands. He then ran the sword in his left hand through the bandit's chest before decapitating the bandit with the sword in his right hand. He kicked what remained of the body off his sword into a group of three bandits who were running to him, knocking them off their feet.

From both sides, two bandits tried to flank Night Hawk, but he vanished into thin air, making the bandits run their swords through each other's guts. Night Hawk then reappeared behind the bandit leader, and ran his sword through his spine, then twisted his blade, paralyzing the bandit. The woman behind him smiled and looked at him with hopeful eyes for a moment, before he charged into a group of fifteen bandits running at him. In the blink of an eye, they were slaughtered, and Night Hawk stood over the bandits with not so much as a blood stain on his clothes. He turned his attention to another group charging at him, and without any kind of warning, knives suddenly appeared in his hands, and he threw a knife at each bandit, stabbing them in the neck.

At the village, Sakura and Kakashi wandered around while Naruto just remained seated on the ground in the shadows. The smell of death was still fresh, which forced he and Sakura to cover their mouths with their shirts.

As Sakura entered the ruins of what used to be a house, she cautiously made her way to each room, checking every inch of the building. Down what remained of the hallway, she took a right into what looked to be a child's room. She took a moment to look around, and released a depressed sigh as she entered, "What animals could do this to a child?" She asked. She looked down at the ground and saw the torched remains of a teddy bear, and felt her heart break in two.

She picked the teddy bear up, and held it close to her chest as she closed her eyes. A moment passed, and she looked at the one button the stuffed animal had left as an eye, and tried to imagine the terror the child must have experienced. When she thought enough time had passed, she rested the toy on the ground where she found it, and prepared to leave the room, but a noise coming from the other room directly across the hall caught her attention, and she cautiously made her way in.

"Hello? Is someone here? You can come out now. I promise not to harm you."

She looked around, and could see by the layout of the room and torched bed, this was where the child's parents slept. To her right, there was a dresser leaning against the wall, and she could just barely see the door moving. She moved in a little closer, and prepared herself for anything, and moved to the left a little. As she got closer, and the light of the moon shined on the dresser just right, she could see the sparkling eye and outline of a small boy looking at her through the crack in the door. She heard a small gasp, and the door closed all the way.

Sakura's eyes widened, and she approached the dresser a little faster, " _The child's still alive?_ " She thought in relief. As she approached the dresser, she took a moment to prepare herself, and slowly opened both doors. In the left corner of the dresser, she saw the boy huddled against the wall, staring at her with a fearful face with tears pouring down his cheeks, and his whole body was shaking.

Sakura felt her heart sink, and she looked at the young boy in sorrow. " _Aww, the poor thing's scared to death. He can't be any older than six, either._ "

She slowly sat on her knees in front of the boy, and tried to calm him down, "Oh, you poor thing. How long have you been hiding like this?" She asked in a soft, soothing and caring voice.

The boy didn't answer. He only stared at Sakura in fear, shock, and horror as his body continued to shake uncontrollably.

Sakura smiled softly, and sat her back pack on the ground before she started digging through one of the pockets, "You must be hungry, huh?" She pulled a rice ball out of her pack, and handed it to the boy, "Here. Take this."

The boy didn't even glance at the rice ball, but fixed his vision on Sakura, fearfully watching his every move.

Sakura sighed, and continued to hold the rice ball in front of the boy, "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. Go ahead. Take it."

The boy only continued to stare at Sakura.

Sakura continued to look at the boy, but her eyes widened as she came to realize something. " _Could he be so far in shock that he…?_ " She slowly reached her other hand out and waved it in front of the boy a few times. His eyes didn't follow, and even when she snapped her fingers, she got little reaction.

Fearful for the boy's condition, Sakura gently wrapped her arms around the boy, and slowly brought him towards her. She rested him on the ground in front of her, and started casting a healing jutsu that would take the boy out of his state of shock. It was also at this time she saw the burns on the boy's arm, which he started working on too.

It didn't take long for the boy to start coming out of his state of shock. He blinked his eyes a few times before rolling them to look at Sakura, who was smiling down at him. "Feeling any better now?"

The boy only stared at Sakura for a moment, then tried to sit up.

"Hey, hey! Easy, now. Don't worry. You're safe now." Sakura said, resting hand on her boy's chest, keeping him down. "Do you remember anything that happened?"

The boy only looked at Sakura for a moment before tears started to form in his eyes, "Mommy! They hurt mommy real badly!"

Sakura frowned at the boy, realizing he probably watched it happen from inside the dresser. She gently wrapped her arms around the boy, and pulled him into an embrace where she stroked his back, "Shhh. It'll be okay. Everything's okay now. The bad people are gone."

The fifteen prisoners of the bandits cheered at Night Hawk held the last bandit high in the air with his left hand by his throat with his sword less than an inch away from his heart. "Now tell me. Where are the other bandit camps?!"

Struggling to say anything, the man gasped for air, "Th…ere…isn't…an…other…cam…p…ar…oun..d…for…miles…yo…u…'ve…kil..ll..ed….most…o…f…u..s…al…re…a…dy…"

"Fine. Any last words?" Night Hawk asked.

The bandit's eyes widened, and before he could say anything, Night Hawk ran his sword through the bandit's chest, and threw him over to the prisoners he'd previously released. The bandit's body rolled to one of the prisoner's feet, and the prisoner slowly made his way over to Night Hawk where he shook his hand,

"Oh, thank you, mister, thank you so much. We thought we were all dead for sure."

"Are you the remaining villagers of the recently attacked village?" Night Hawk asked.

The man nodded, "Yes, yes we are! They came without warning. We've tried our best to fend them off by building walls and recruiting town watch, but their numbers were too many. Before we knew it, we were overwhelmed."

"Well, it's safe for you to go back now. Take what you wish from the dead. I have no further use for their corpses." Night Hawk said. He turned from the man and started walking into the darkness.

"Hey, wait. You…you're no ninja are you?" The man asked.

Night Hawk stopped, but didn't look back at the man, "What I am isn't important. What _is_ important is that I went out of my way to free you. Now get out of here before I change my mind and tie you back up."

"Er…of course! We'll head home right away!" The man said. He watched as Night Hawk disappeared into a dark cloud, and vanished out of site.

When Night Hawk arrived at the village, he saw a group of three children and two older teens sitting along the wall with Naruto. Sakura was going through the group one-by-one, patching them up, and offering them food and drink with her own food and secondary water bottle. One of the children was lying on the ground with a blanket over him and a wet rag over his forehead.

"Is this all that survived?" Night Hawk asked, looking at the girl lying on the ground.

Sakura looked at night Hawk and rose to her feet, "Yes. This is all we've been able to find. How did things go at the bandit camp?"

"There were still another fifteen or so people alive the bandits kept for their own entertainment. The raped the women, and attempted to murder a small boy before I showed up." Night Hawk replied.

"So what do we do with the bandit we captured back at camp? The one we left with all out gear?" Sakura asked.

"We'll deal with him when we get back. In the meantime, finish patching up these kids, then get some rest. You'll need it for tomorrow."

Sakura nodded, and went back to work on the child she'd been previously healing.

A while later, the group of people night Hawk rescued from the bandit camp came into town. Some of the children who were lined up against the wall cheered, and ran to their parents with tears in their eyes. Their mothers and fathers knelt down on their knees, and tightly wrapped their arms around them before picking them up, and spinning them around. A young woman also ran over to the girl who was lying on the ground next to the wall, and held her hand tightly.

Sakura smiled, and wiped a tear from her eyes as she watched the reunion, but noticed the boy she had found in the dresser wasn't meeting his parents or any other relatives. She watched as he wandered through the crowd of people, looking for his parents, but his smile continued to get smaller and smaller the more he looked. Just as the boy was about to give up and start crying, Sakura came up behind him, and sat on her knees in front of him.

Naruto watched how Sakura treated the boy. He couldn't understand what she was saying, but he smiled softly as the boy broke out into tears, and buried his face into Sakura's shoulder, and she wrapped her arms around him, and offered him as much comfort she could. He slowly rose to his feet with his crutches, and made his way over to Sakura and the young boy. "So has he not…?"

Sakura looked up at Naruto for a moment, then shook her head, "No. I don't want to tell you what happened, but I knew his parents wouldn't be coming back."

Naruto looked at Sakura with a puzzled face, "Why's that?"

Sakura looked down at the boy for a moment, then looked back up at Naruto, "It might actually be best if I showed you. But we need to wait until he falls asleep or something."

Naruto nodded in response, and turned his attention to Night Hawk and Kakashi who were talking with one of the villagers.

"But we have now where to go now. They took everything. Our homes, our families, and we had little money to begin with. This was a farming village, nothing more."

"So you couldn't afford to have some ninjas from the Hidden Leaf come and watch over your town. Two Jonin could have fended off a group of bandits like that easily." Kakashi said.

"Yes, but hardly matters anymore." The villager said. "It's because of our foolishness that I was forced to watch my own daughter be raped for an hour before she was left to die in a puddle of her own blood. My wife was beaten to death, and thrown over the cliff while I was kept alive to mourn their losses. Those bandit scum! I hate them!"

Night Hawk stared at the man for a moment, then turned to face Kakashi, "There's little more we can do for these people. I recommend you and the others get some rest. We'll be heading out soon."

Kakashi nodded, "Right. I'll got tell the others."

Night Hawk nodded, and turned his attention to some of the villagers as they started going through what remained of their homes.

Author's Notes: Well, guys, I know I said I was going to make the chapter longer, but long story short,.. I lost the old file on a computer stick that apparently decided it wanted to grow legs and walk off somewhere else when I went to a friends house. Anyway, I thought that was a decent enough place to stop for now.

If you liked the story, please follow, favorite, and leave a review. It keeps me motivated to keep writing, and I enjoy getting feedback.

Take care guys, and I'll see you next time.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

 **Alvis**

Naruto watched Sakura as she gently laid the young boy on the ground after he'd fallen asleep for crying so long. She covered him with a blanket, let him use the pouch she usually carries on her hip as a pillow, and gently rubbed his forehead before she stood up, and made her way to Naruto.

Naruto watched as she got closer, and could tell she was definitely having a hard time with the boy. "So he finally fell asleep, huh?" He asked, trying to take Sakura's mind off the boy.

Sakura looked up at Naruto with a blank face after being ripped from her thoughts, "Hmm? Oh, yeah. He did. The poor thing's going to have a tough time recovering, and I'm not sure what to do with him."

Naruto tried to slowly rise to his feet, "Does he not have any other family members here?" He asked as he tried standing up.

Sakura watched as Naruto stood up, and studied his movements. A small smile crept on her face, and she waited for him to center himself on his crutches before saying, "You know, Naruto. I think after you get some rest, you might not have to use those anymore. Anyway, I haven't asked him. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't."

Naruto looked at the boy over Sakura's shoulder for a moment, then rolled his eyes to the ground for a moment, "That's…that's too bad. I really don't know what to say." He looked up as Sakura looked at the boy again, "So…what was it you were wanting to show me?"

Sakura turned back to Naruto, released a depressed sigh, and waved for him to follow her, "Come with me. It's not a pretty picture."

From further down what remained of the street, Night Hawk and Kakashi watched as Naruto and Sakura disappeared behind a building. "Those two have progressively gotten closer ever since you came back from your previous mission." Night Hawk said.

Kakashi nodded, and continued to stare at the last place Naruto and Sakura were in his vision, "Yeah. You should have seen them a years ago. Sakura couldn't hardly stand being next to Naruto, and always fanaticized over another boy we had on the squad named Sasuke. It's amazing to see how she's treating him now."

Night Hawk smirked, and leaned against the wall, crossing his legs, "They remind me of one of my students. He and this girl he'd managed to make friends with were inseparable, and they're approaching the end of their engagement now. If those two continue down this path they'll be doing the same before long."

Kakashi rolled his eye over to Night Hawk, "So…who was your student, exactly?"

Night Hawk looked at Kakashi for a moment, then looked down at the ground with a smirk, "You'll know soon enough. But having said that, I think you can figure it out on your own now." Without saying another word, he turned his back to Kakashi and started walking to another part of the village.

"There. Those are what remain of the boy's parents." Sakura said, pointing to a pair of scorched corpses tied together in burned chairs.

Naruto's eyes widened, and he moved a little closer to investigate. He started to grit his teeth and clench his fists, "Those bastards! How could they do this?"

"Especially knowing they had a young son in the other room, too." Sakura said, staring at what remained of the boy's parents. She walked closer to the figure she believed to be the boy's mother by the shape of the jaw, and knelt down on her knees, and put her hands together as she closed her eyes and prayed.

Naruto watched in awe and shock, but decided to do the same once he realized what Sakura was doing. He slowly knelt down on the floor next to her, and held his hands together as he closed his eyes.

Sakura slightly opened her right eye, and smiled softly when she saw Naruto sitting next to her. She closed her eyes again, and started praying aloud, "I don't know if you can hear me, or if you're even there. But I will take it upon myself to look after your child, and see that he is placed in good hands. Your child will remain safe with me, and I will look after him as if he were my own until we find a new home for him." She bowed her head, and then slowly rose to her feet. She looked down at Naruto, who was still praying, and watched as he started trying to stand up again. She grabbed the back of his shirt, and gently pulled him up when he started to fall.

Naruto turned to face Sakura with an impressed look on his face, and he smiled in approval, "Very courageous of you, Sakura. I think you may have put their spirits at ease."

A tear slid down Sakura's cheek, and she looked at the remains of the boy's parents, "I can only hope so." She looked at Naruto again, "Well…let's get some rest. It's way past midnight now, and I imagine we'll be moving out in a few hours. Let's get whatever sleep we can."

Naruto nodded, and followed Sakura back to the boy where Sakura laid down close to him, and Naruto found a place a few feet away from Sakura. "Well, good night, Sakura. Sleep well."

Sakura rolled over to face Naruto and smiled at him, "You, too, Naruto." She then rolled over to face the boy again, gently rugged his cheek, and closed her eyes, letting her dreams take her.

The next morning, Naruto and Sakura woke to commotion and screaming. They sat up from their sleeping places, and could hear the commotion coming from the main part of the village. The screaming had also awoken the young boy, and Sakura placed her hand on his shoulder, causing him to look back at her.

She smiled kindly at the boy for a second before saying, "I'll go see what's happening. Naruto will stay here with you."

The boy took a moment to process what Sakura said, but eventually nodded in agreement.

Sakura gently patted the boy on the head, then stood up, and made her way to the source of the screaming.

Naruto and the young boy watched as she disappeared behind a building, then looked at each other for a moment.

There was a long and awkward silence before Naruto finally rose his hand to wave, "Hi there!"

The boy only stared at Naruto with eyes of distrust for a while, then looked back in the direction Sakura went, leaving Naruto a little agitated. He growled under his breath, and folded his arms as he pouted, " _Fine, ya jerk. Don't say hello._ "

Reaching the main part of the village, Sakura saw what remained of the villagers huddled around someone, and as she got closer, she recognized the person on the ground as the bandit Night Hawk had taken to their camp. She walked a little closer due to curiosity, and watched the villagers beat the bandit and throw things at him as they screamed.

"You brought this upon yourself you piece of trash!"

"It's because of you scum that my daughter's dead!"

"You're nothing by yourself!"

"Let's break every bone in his body, and use him as a message to other bandits that come here!"

There was a loud roar from the crowd of villagers, and Sakura watched as one man with a club walked into the crowd. Shortly after, there was a loud and haunting cry of pain coming from the bandit, followed by another, and another, and another.

Sakura smirked and started to turn away, "Serves you right, you piece of trash." She was about to turn away completely, but in the corner of her eye, she saw Night Hawk standing on top of the ruins of a burnt building overlooking the crowd. She looked up at him, and could sense the anger coming off him. It was a cold and unwelcome feeling, and she quickly looked away from him before he made eye contact with her. " _I guess now we know why his organization has the reputation he leads on. This guy doesn't mess around._ " She glanced up at Night Hawk again, then made her way back to Naruto and the young boy.

As she approached Naruto and the young boy, she saw Kakashi doing something in the distance. She stopped for a moment as she observed what he was doing, and noticed he'd managed to bring their camping equipment back to the village, and was sorting everything out. She continued to watch him for a while, but eventually returned to Naruto and the young boy.

As she approached, the young boy turned and looked at Sakura with fearful eyes that nearly tore her heart in two. "What happens to me now? I don't have any more family or friends. They're all…"

Sakura frowned at the boy, and sat on her knees in front of him, and resting her hand on the boy's shoulder, "You'll be coming with us. Don't worry. We'll make things work out in the end."

Naruto looked down at the boy for a second, then looked up at Sakura, "So you're serious about it? You really want to adopt him?"

Sakura looked up at Naruto and nodded, "What other choice do we have? If he doesn't have any other family members to look after him, I may as well take him. Besides, I always told myself I'd adopt at least one or two kids when I got my own place, and I'm not sending him back to the Leaf Village by himself."

"But what if Night Hawk refuses to let him come? I mean…I don't disagree with what you're trying to do, Sakura, but we are on a mission, you know?" Naruto said.

"It doesn't matter." Sakura said, gently pulling the boy to her, and wrapping her arms around him protectively, "I've come to a decision, and it's final. I don't care if I have to carry him all the way to the Unknown from here on out." She took her attention off the boy, and turned it to Naruto, "Besides, there's no guarantee he'd be treated well in the village, anyway."

Naruto looked into Sakura's eyes, and could see she was serious about her decision. He pondered for a moment, nodded, and looked down at the boy before rubbing his head while messing up his hear, "Well, like I said, I don't disapprove of what you're doing. And I know what it was like in the orphanage. It wasn't fun or happy place to grow up. Maybe the Unknown Military will be able to see that he's taken care of while we're training or something."

Sakura nodded, and looked down at the boy with a kind smile, "What do you say to that?"

The boy looked up at Sakura for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders, "I don't really know what to think anymore. Mommy and Daddy are both gone...I don't know what to do."

Sakura reached down and gently held the boy's hand, "You'll come with us, then. I think it's what your parents would have wanted. If you want, I'll come with you so you can get anything that may still have some value to you from your house."

The boy shook his head, "No. I already looked. Everything's gone."

Sakura released a sad sigh, "Well, if that's what you think…" She patted the boy's head, and stood up while turning her attention to Naruto, "Okay, Naruto, let's take a walk. I want to see how well your legs recovered overnight."

Naruto looked up at Sakura for a moment, processing what she said, then slowly rose to his feet. "Do you think I might be able to stop using these crutches today, Sakura?"

Sakura studied Naruto's movements, and let a small smile curve her lips, "Well, I think there's a very good chance of it happening. Lt's take a few laps around the village, and we'll take a break."

Naruto grinned and followed closely behind Sakura, "Alright! Recovery here I come!"

After they'd walked around for a while Sakura lead Naruto back to where they had originally started off from. She turned to face him, and started giving him a few more instructions. "Okay, Naruto. I think you're about ready to walk on your own." She looked around for a decent target for Naruto to walk to, and nodded to herself once she decided on something. She turned back to Naruto and pointed at a building halfway down the street to the village gate. "Okay, I want you to try and make to that building without your crutches. Think you can manage?"

Naruto looked to where Sakura was pointing, and grinned at her with a smirk, "Heh! Piece of cake." He sat his crutches down next to the young boy, and started making his way to the building. However, before he was even able to clear the building he was next to, he nearly lost balance, but was able to balance himself with the wall.

"Piece of cake, huh?" Sakura asked.

Naruto turned around to see Sakura giving him a sassy stare with her arms crossed, "You might be about to eat those words." She said.

"I just lost my balance, Sakura. Give me a break." Naruto said.

Sakura stuck her tongue out at him, and waved for him to carry on. "Okay, I'll let it slip this time. But only because I'm such a nice person."

Naruto smirked and turned to focus on his target again, "Nice person? I guess you can call yourself whatever you like." He murmured under his breath.

"I heard that!" Sakura shouted, making Naruto stand about as stiff as a board. He started trying to scamper away, nearly losing his balance a few times, but he was eventually able to reach his destination without any help.

Excited about his accomplishment, Naruto turned to face Sakura again, and threw both his fists in the air, "Oh yeah! I told you I'd do it, Sakura!" He shouted.

Sakura smirked and rested her hands on her hips, "Keep bragging about it, I might have you walk around the village, you knuckle head. Now get back here."

Naruto grinned chuckled and slowly made his way back to Sakura with his arms folded behind his head, "I did it, I did it, I did it." He sang as he walked.

Sakura smiled and clapped as Naruto finally arrived back to where he'd originally set off. "Well done, Naruto. It's nice to see you make almost a full recovery. By tomorrow, you _should_ in theory be able to move freely without the crutches. However, for today, I want you to continue using them. Just to be on the safe side of things. Okay?"

Naruto grinned and nodded, "Sure, Sakura, no problem. However, I still haven't forgotten about you teasing me after we left the hospital. I'll get you back at some point."

Sakura laughed and stuck her tongue out at him while making a funny face, "I'm ready for anything _you_ of all people can think of."

Naruto's smile slowly started to vanish, and he looked down at the ground for a moment before looking up at Sakura again, "Hey, listen, Sakura… I don't know if this is the best time to bring it up, but I want to say something before I forget about it."

Sakura stared at Naruto with a blank face, wondering what was on his mind. She smiled softly, and rested her hand on his shoulder, "Go ahead and say it. Now's the perfect time since we're not on the road."

Naruto tried gathering his thoughts, and released a deep sigh, "Listen, Sakura…I know you like to hit me when I do something stupid, and admittedly I deserve it most of the time. However, with me left arm not being able to circulate any chakra, can I just make a request that you not hit me as hard as you usually do? I mean, I'm bound to do something stupid at one point or another, and with my current condition…I just don't want to suffer from a broken jaw."

Sakura thought about Naruto's words, and gave him a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, Naruto. I've already taken that into account. And to be honest, you've kind of grown up ever since you left the hospital, and I like the way you've been acting so far. Keep this up, and you won't have anything to worry about."

Just then, Night Hawk's voice echoed through the village, "Alright! Pack your things! We're moving out in ten minutes!"

Naruto and Sakura's eyes widened, and they both dove for where they were sleeping, trying to cram as much of their stuff in their bags as possible.

At the village gate, the three ninja and the young boy met up with Night Hawk who was standing in the middle of the gateway. "I'll assume you've gathered everything you three need, then?"

The three ninja nodded, "We have."

"Very well. We'll set off immediate…ly" Night Hawk stopped once he saw the young boy hiding behind Sakura's leg. "Sakura, what is this?"

Sakura looked down at the boy, and rested her hand on the boy's head, "This boy lost his entire family to the bandits. Both his parents and his home are gone, so I decided I'd take him in myself."

Night Hawk stared into Sakura's eyes, and could tell she was serious. " _Hmm…judging my her eyes, she's already looked after him with motherly care…_ " He looked down at the boy and could see he was beyond terrified about what his decision would mean for him. Eventually, Night Hawk sighed, and looked at Sakura again, "We do have a schedule to keep, but I'm not going to turn away from a young child in need. You can keep him, but he's your responsibility. Got it?"

Sakura smiled slightly and nodded, "Yes, sir."

"Good." Night Hawk turned his attention to the boy, "What's your name, kid?"

The boy looked up at Sakura for a moment, and waited for her to nod. She did so, and he stepped out from behind her leg, "M-my name is A-Alvis."

"Alvis, huh? Well, for the meantime Sakura will be your new mother. We're traveling to a carnival where we're scheduled to meet with a naval fleet from my country. Once that happens, we'll have to put you under the watchful eye of someone else until Sakura's finished a new training exercise." Night Hawk said.

Alvis nodded, "I think I understand."

"Smart kid." Night Hawk turned his attention to Sakura as she started talking.

"But who will look after him? Do you know anyone willing to look after him for three months?"

Night Hawk nodded, "I have an idea, but I'm not going to say anything for now because I may end up eating those words. Anyway, now that that's taken care of, let's move out."

The three ninja and Alvis nodded, and Sakura let Alvis climb up on her shoulders. After a long period of silence, Alvis looked down at Sakura, "Hey, Sakura?"

Sakura rolled her eyes up at Alvis, "Hmm?"

"Do you mind if I call you 'Mom'?"

Sakura's eyes widened, and her lips curled into a small smile, "Sure."

Alvis then looked at Naruto, "And can I call him 'Dad'?"

Both Sakura and Naruto stopped walking, and looked at each other for a moment, then turned away from each other with bright pink blushes on their cheeks. After a period of silence, Sakura cleared her throat, and looked up at Alvis again, "Well…I suppose so." She focused on Naruto in the corner of her eye with a small smile, and could tell Naruto was doing the same to her.

Kakashi glanced back at his two younger students for a moment, and returned his attention to his book, " _Well, how about that? All it took was a little kid to make the last little push._ "

Author's Notes: And that does it for this chapter. I know it's shorter, but I ran out of things to write. I think next chapter, I'm going to jump ahead a few days. I originally wanted to have Sasuke or a member of the Akatsuki ambush the group, but I can't think of a way to put that in now. Besides, the story is meant to take place on a whole other continent.

Anyway, thank you all so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed. I will see you in the next chapter. See you then!


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

 **Carnival**

Days after the run in with the bandits, Night Hawk, Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi, and Alvis arrived on a hillside overlooking their destination. Below them was a beautiful lush green forest valley with the village in the distance, as well as a spectacular view of the ocean. The water sparkled with the reflection of the sun, and offered a welcoming sight to the ninja, and especially Alvis who was wiped out from the journey, and desperately wanted to rest. On each side of the village were tall cliffs overlooking the ocean, and the right side had a lighthouse at the very top, as well as a few tourist attractions.

During the previous days, Naruto had made almost a full recovery, and was able to run and walk on his own without Sakura's help. During their travels, Naruto, Alvis, and Sakura had built up a stronger relationship. Neither Naruto nor Sakura were willing to admit their true feelings yet, but it was becoming more obvious to the group they were becoming more than friends.

Night Hawk had proven his dominance twice during the journey. The first time with the bandits, and the second time with a group of rogue ninja who tried ambushing the group. As far as anyone could tell, the attack was launched, then it was over. Without even an effort, Night Hawk cut through the ambush as if he were invincible, proving once more the Seventeen were not to be messed around with.

After journeying throughout the night, trying to make up lost time, Naruto sat down at the top of the hill, and stared down at the village in amazement, welcoming the restful moment. "This place is so cool! I can't wait to get down there!" A huge grin grew on his face as he pictured the carnival, and all the food and games he'd waste his money on. The crunching of the grass behind him caught his attention, and he looked back to Sakura, who was holding Alvis in her arms, and letting him rest on her shoulder, and stared at the distant terrain in awe.

"This place is beautiful! Ah, man. If only I'd heard of this place sooner! I would have put this on my number one place I wanted to take a vacation this summer." She rubbed Alvis's back, and whispered him his ear that it was time for him to wake up.

"But I don't want to. I'm still tired." Alvis moaned in a zombie-like tone.

Sakura smiled softly, and repositioned him on her hip, "Are you sure? You're missing out on a spectacular view."

Alvis moaned quietly, but slowly opened his eyes, yawning as he did. He let his eyes adjust to the sunlight, then looked down at the valley, and the spectacular view of the ocean. His eyes widened, and he welcomed the sight with a smile. "Is that where we're going?" He asked, looking back at Sakura.

Sakura smiled and nodded, "Yep. That's the place." She continued to scout out attractions that Alvis in particular would like to check out, and pointed to them as she recognized some of the structures, "See, look. They have a Ferris wheel, a log ride, and I'll bet that big dome looking building in the rear is an aquarium. What sounds interesting to you?"

"All of it." Alvis said with excitement in his voice. He looked at the village again, then looked to Sakura again, "How long until we get there? I'm tired of walking."

Sakura smiled softly at Alvis, and gently kissed his cheek, "Don't worry, We'll get there before mid-day. But you can sleep until we get there. Deal?"

Alvis nodded, yawned, and rested his head on Sakura's shoulder again.

Naruto watched in awe, and a little jealousy as he watched Sakura handle Alvis as if she were his real mother, but he looked away when Sakura glanced at him.

"Do you want to carry him for a while, Naruto?" Sakura asked from behind.

Naruto looked back at Sakura for a moment, stood up, and walked over to her, where she handed Alvis over to him. "Careful with him, Naruto. This journey hasn't been easy on him." Sakura looked at Alvis with caring eyes, and gently rubbed his cheek with the back of her hand, "The poor thing just can't catch a break. The sooner we get to the village down there, the better."

Naruto smiled as Alvis wrapped his arms around his neck, and tried to position himself comfortably on his shoulder. He gently patted Alvis's back and looked at Sakura, who was smiling kindly at him.

"You're good with kids, Naruto. I never expected that from you." Sakura said.

Naruto blushed slightly, and rubbed the back of his head, "Well, they don't call me the wonder ninja for nothing, you know."

Sakura smirked out a laugh, "Yeah, I guess that's true. If you get tired of carrying him, just let me know. He might find you more comfortable, though."

Naruto smiled and nodded, "Will do, Sakura." He stepped to the side out of Sakura's way, "Ladies first."

Sakura laughed, and playfully tugged at his ear as she stepped forward, "You're trying too hard now. If you're trying to impress me, you're going to have to do more than act like a gentleman." She released his ear, and made her way down the hill.

Naruto chuckled as he rubbed his ear, and followed closely behind Sakura.

Kakashi, impressed with the way the two teens had grown closer to each other, and treated Alvis as a child that belonged to both of them, watched with pleasure as the two continued to joke around and flirt with each other as they made their way to the village. He released a quiet laugh, " _Well, Naruto. Seems at least one of your dreams may come true after all. Sakura was right. It was definitely worth keeping you alive. To think you were inches away from not being able to experience this kind of happiness…we all owe you an apology._ " He was taken out of his thoughts when he saw Night Hawk in the corner of his eye.

"I never pictured this happening in just five days. Those two have grown close incredibly fast."

Kakashi nodded in agreement, "Yeah. I guess Sakura must have realized she took Naruto for granted, and his recent trip to the hospital opened her eyes a bit. She never would have been this happy with Sasuke, and I shudder to think how he would have treated Alvis. Naruto has not only proven to be a good friend to Alvis, but a decent father figure as well, which Sakura finds very appealing."

Night Hawk smirked, and started walking, "It amazes me how similar they are to my student and his future wife. They were stuck on each other the second they met, but for different reasons. For a woman, there are few things more attractive than a man who treats her and her kids with respect, and is someone her kids enjoy being around. Naruto already has a father-like relationship with Alvis, which is making he and Sakura grow closer to each other. I'm honestly amazed they haven't sealed the deal yet."

Kakashi laughed, "Well, that probably won't happen with us around. Besides, it's none of our business. I'd rather they enjoy themselves tonight than keep an eye on them."

Night Hawk only nodded in response.

 **Sometime Later**

After a few hours of walking, the group finally found themselves standing outside the gates to the carnival. Even from a mile away, the smell of the food seemed to drag the group along, and Naruto rubbed his hands together with his tongue sticking out. "Man, I can't wait to eat some of this carnival food! It smells so good!"

Just before the three ninja and Alvis walked through the gate, Night Hawk caught their attention, and they all turned to face him.

"Alright, Squad Seven, listen up. This is where we part ways. I have other things that need seeing to, and I'm guessing you're all fairly capable of handling yourselves at a carnival."

"Wait, you're leaving us?" Sakura asked, confused about what was going on. "Why leave now? We don't know our way around this place. Where are we supposed to meet next time?"

"First off, your hotel rooms have already been rented in your names." Night Hawk said as he tossed the ninja their keys, "Your rooms are the numbers on your keys, and the motel you'll be staying at is the Tsunami Inn near the Eastern docks of the village, where you'll meet up with Night Walker tomorrow morning at nine o' clock sharp. Also, as a final parting gift, this belongs to you. Three-thousand Yin for each of you." He handed Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi each three-thousand ryu, making their jaws drop to the ground.

"T-t-three…thousand…ryu? For all three of us?" Naruto asked, hardly able to believe his eyes.

The three ninja instantly started counting out their money, and making sure it wasn't fake or some kind of prank on Night Hawk's end. However, they stopped once they realized it was all real.

"Y-you can't be serious. Three-thousand ryu? We each have enough money to get into the carnival, Night Hawk." Sakura said. "We could just save this, and…"

"Do you know how much this kind of currency will be worth once we reach Atlassia?" Night Hawk interrupted, "It takes fifty Atlatii or Atlassian dollars to reach ten-thousand ryu. You think three-thousand ryu is going to do you much good when you get off the ships? You can think again. The money I just handed you is yours to spend how you please, but it won't do you much good once you leave this continent. All of your nine-grand combined, you'd only have some forty-five Atlatii, which isn't going to get you very far."

The three ninja remained speechless, and stared at Night Hawk in awe.

" _It takes fifty dollars to equal ten-thousand ryu? They weren't kidding when they said this place was rich._ " Sakura thought in amazement.

"So where are you going, anyway?" Naruto asked as Night Hawk turned his back to the group and started walking in the opposite direction.

"It's none of your concern. Just make sure you're at the docks tomorrow at nine 'o clock on the dot. I promise you won't like what happens if Unknown soldiers have to come and hunt you down." Night Hawk said,

The three ninja stood at attention, and saluted, "Yes, sir!"

"Very good. You're dismissed." Without another word, Night Hawk disappeared into a shadowy cloud, leaving the three ninja and Alvis alone.

Alvis, who was standing on the ground next to Sakura, looked up and tugged Sakura's shirt, gaining her attention, "So what do we do now? Can we find a restaurant? I'm starving."

Sakura smiled kindly at Alvis, and patted his head, "You're hungry? Okay, we'll find some place to eat. After that, what say we go and check out the games and rides?"

"I'd like that. That sounds fun." Alvis said.

"Good. What are you hungry for? I think you deserve to pick where we eat. What kind of food do you like the most?" Sakura asked.

Alvis paused for a moment as he tried to think, then looked up at Sakura again, "Well, mom always rewarded me with pork when I did something she was proud of, so I guess anything containing pork would be okay."

"How about ramen?" Naruto suggested, making Sakura give him a slightly annoyed glare.

Alvis thought for a moment, and shrugged his shoulders, "I like ramen, but I'm not real big on it, either. I don't know. Maybe we can just eat whatever smells good."

Sakura laughed, and picked Alvis up, resting him on her hip, "Well, you definitely know how to scout out food at a carnival. If it smells good, it's usually worth the money. You want to just walk around, and sample some stuff, and buy a full pack if you like it?"

Alvis nodded, "Yeah, actually, I'd like that. Mom and dad never did that."

Sakura nodded, then turned her attention to Naruto, "I take it you're coming, too?"

Naruto grinned at Sakura, "Sure. Why not? I'm actually pretty hungry myself."

Sakura nodded in agreement, and held her free hand over her stomach, "Yeah, I am, too. I wouldn't mind a glass of ice-tea, either. I'm parched, and my water container's almost empty."

"Well, I guess it's settled then." Naruto said, folding his arms behind his head and chuckling, "And with three-thousand yin for each of us, we can eat to our heart's content."

Sakura laughed, and playfully elbowed Naruto in the chest, "Just make sure you leave some food for the rest of the tourists. I don't need to put up with the mayor of this village for dealing with your shenanigans."

Naruto scratched his chin as he looked up at the sky thinking about Sakura's words, "Hmmm…well, since you requested it, I guess I'll watch myself and my appetite."

Sakura chuckled, and turned to look at Kakashi, "So, what about you, Kakashi-Sensei? Will you be joining us?"

Kakashi tore his attention from his book, and looked at Sakura. He thought about the question for a moment, then returned his attention to his previous place, "Nah, you three have fun. I think I'll explore the area before I eat. I'm not really all that hungry right now. Besides, I plan on eating at the bar, anyway. Been too long since I had a drink."

Naruto huffed, folded his arms behind his back, and rolled his eyes, "Yeah, right. It's probably more like because this country actually has dancers at their bars."

Kakashi's eyes widened, and Sakura looked back at Naruto in shock.

"And how exactly would you know that?" She asked, ready to send him halfway to the next planet.

Naruto, able to read the anger in Sakura's body language, waved his hands in front of him, taking a few steps back, "Hey, hey, whoa, easy, Sakura. I only know this because I traveled with Pervy Sage in this country while I was away training. It's not like I actually…" He stopped as he noticed Sakura's eyes narrowing, "I'll shut up now."

Sakura smiled with a smirk, "There's a good boy." She turned to face Kakashi, letting Naruto rest easy, and started walking to him, "So is that true, Kakashi-Sensei? You're missing out on time with us for some…low cut-off top wench who works at a bar? The absolute nerve!"

Kakashi started to sweat, and he nervously rubbed the back of his head, trying to come up with an excuse, "Er, well… I honestly didn't know about the stri-"

"Save it!" Sakura yelled, just before sending Kakashi flying through the air, and slamming his back against a metal pole. Hey eyes widened in worry when she saw her sensei hunched over in pain, but her lips curled into a smile when Kakashi's figure turned into a cloud of white smoke, and a tin trashcan fell on the ground. "Hmph! That'll teach you." She said, clapping her hands together. She turned back to Naruto to see him and Alvis staring at her in shock and fear. She smiled softly and waved her hands in front of them, "Okay, guys, you're safe. I'm not going to hit you."

Alvis, who was hiding behind Naruto's leg, looked at Sakura in shock, but eventually came out of hiding. "So, what was that for? That was really scary."

Sakura looked at Alvis with worry, and walked over to him where she bent down to his level, resting her hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry, Alvis. I wasn't thinking about you when I acted. See, I'm not just a medical ninja. I'm also the student of the Hokage herself. She taught me most of what she knows, including her brute strength. I'm sorry I scared you. I'll think more carefully about my actions from now on. Okay?"

Alvis thought about Sakura's words for a moment, then gave her a teasing smirk, "I'll hold you to that."

Sakura laughed and rubbed Alvis' head, "Oh, yeah? And what exactly will you do if it happens again?"

"Erm…I'm still working on it…" Alvis said.

Sakura laughed and playfully flicked his nose as she stood up, "I'm sure you'll think of something."

"You know, now that I think of it, Night Hawk didn't exactly say what we're supposed to do with him when we get to the docks." Naruto said, catching Sakura's attention.

"You know what, you're actually right. He didn't give any instruction on what we're supposed to do with Alvis. Are they just going to let him walk on the ship with us, or what?" Sakura asked, a little worried about Alvis' future.

"Hmm…" Naruto pondered for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders, "Well, I doubt the Unknown Military is going to turn away a kid in need. Maybe Night Hawk will have instructions for us tomorrow."

Sakura looked down at Alvis with worry in her eyes, then looked at Naruto again, "I really hope you're right, Naruto." She smiled at Alvis as she continued, "Alvis is like a son now. I couldn't bear the thought of leaving him behind."

Alvis, speechless over what Sakura said, only grinned at her with the biggest smile he could give.

Sakura smiled softly at her adopted son, then turned her attention to Naruto to see he was quietly admiring her, and her true self. She could tell he was viewing her in a different light. Not as a Sasuke fangirl who desperately wanted her old crush back, but as a soft-hearted caring teen that would make an excellent mother one day, and raise the luckiest kids in the world. At least as far as he was concerned, anyway.

The sound of her stomach growling brought Sakura out of her thoughts, and she held her hands over her stomach, "Man, I'm getting hungrier by the minute. I never thought I'd have to eat again after all the venison we ate the other night, and I couldn't have been more wrong."

"Yeah, we've stood here long enough. Let's get something to eat."

At the restaurant, Naruto, Sakura and Alvis awaited their orders, but were enjoying their time without Night Hawk or Kakashi looking over their shoulder. Alvis was sitting quietly next to Sakura, minding his own business as he colored some images in a coloring book the waitress brought him.

Sakura looked out the window for a while, watching the tourists go about their day and enjoying themselves. She watched some people get in line for the first ever ride of its kind, which she found out earlier was called a roller coaster. She desperately wanted to ride it, but she knew riding the thing on a full stomach probably wasn't the greatest idea. In the corner of her eyes, she focused on Naruto, who was looking through the dessert menu while she stirred some sugar in her tea. She was impressed with the way Naruto had been acting, and could definitely see he wasn't bothered too much about not being able to be a ninja anymore, though he still proudly wore the headband on his forehead. She smiled softly and laughed quietly as Naruto started teasing Alvis by stealing his crayons when he wasn't looking, and closing his book when he lowered his guard.

Just as Naruto stole another crayon from Alvis, Sakura flicked a package of sugar at him, scoring a perfect hit on his nose, making him release a sound that made her bust out into a laughing fit. "W-w-what was that?" She was just barely able to ask while laughing historically.

Naruto laughed as he rubbed his nose and threw the sugar pack back at Sakura, "Well, you caught me a little off guard, that's all."

"So, you're saying you always sound like some kind of high pitched mouse when you're caught off guard?" Sakura asked, still laughing.

Naruto rolled his eyes, "Only when you're around."

Sakura continued to laugh, holding her stomach as it started to hurt, and tears started to slide down her cheeks. "Ahahaha! Ah, man! I haven't laughed like that in a long time." She said, wiping away her tears."

Naruto smirked and looked away from Sakura, "Well, I'm glad you find torturing me to be so amusing. I'm glad you're not some kind of torturer for the Anbu Black Ops."

Sakura giggled, "Oh, you're such a wimp, you know that?" She said as she threw the sugar pack at Naruto again.

Naruto turned to face Sakura again, but gave her a competitive stare and grin, "If you're looking for a food fight, you've met your match."

"Bring it on!" Sakura yelled at a low whisper.

"Your funeral!" Naruto said, throwing the sugar package at Sakura.

Sakura caught the package, then threw it at Naruto again, and he did the same.

The fight between the two lasted several minutes, but Naruto finished it when he hit Sakura's chin, and the sugar pack fell in her shirt, and got trapped between her breasts.

Sakura's mouth hung wide open as she stared at Naruto in disbelief, "You little…I can't believe you just did that. That is _so_ cheating!" She started wiggling around, trying to get the package to fall through, but it wasn't leaving without her reaching in and grabbing it. She growled at Naruto in annoyance and rested her elbow on the table, releasing a deep sigh as she did, "Fine, you win this round. Loser."

Naruto only grinned at her, and turned his attention to their waitress as she brought them their food.

 **Later Hours in the Evening**

Naruto, Sakura and Alvis had spent the majority of the day exploring the carnival, playing games, and riding the rides that were available. The roller coaster happened to be their favorite, and they rode it a number of times before calling it quits. Other attractions they had fun with were the house of mirrors, a haunted house, and the Dolphin show at the aquarium.

Naruto had won Alvis and Sakura a number of prizes from the games he competed in. From obstacle courses he had to find his way through within a certain time limit, to simple balloon popping games. He won Alvis a number of toy action figures and plastic ninja he could play "war" with on the ship. He also won Sakura a couple of stuffed animals she liked the looks of, as well as a big heart shaped box full of chocolate candy, which was his secret way of confessing. Sakura seemed to know what he was up to, and she thankfully took the box of candy from him, and fed him one of the pieces of candy.

After spending the majority of their money on the countless attractions, the group found a restaurant where they ordered their food and waited on Kakashi to arrive. Once he did, the group talked about their day and how much fun they had. They joked about the dolphins teasing Naruto by squirting water in his face, and talked about the shark tunnel that was in the aquarium, which was Alvis' favorite attraction.

Kakashi had bought a number of new books he was itching to read, and let his companions flip through the books, seeing if they'd like to read any in the future, which they all found something of interest.

By the time they were ready to leave, Alvis was leaning on Sakura's shoulder, just barely able to stay awake. She rubbed his head gently, and softly kissed the top of his head, "Are you ready to head to the motel room?"

Alvis only nodded, not bothering to look up at her.

"Okay. I'm going to run to the bathroom real quick, and we can go after that. Okay?" She rubbed Alvis' back, stood from her sitting place, and headed to the bathroom.

When she came back, Sakura saw Alvis and Kakashi still sitting at their booth, but she didn't see Naruto. She looked around, expecting to see him standing by the door, but he wasn't anywhere to be seen. "Kakashi-Sensei? Where did Naruto go?" She asked as she approached the booth.

Kakashi looked up at Sakura for a moment, then pointed out the window.

Sakura looked to where Kakashi was pointing, and saw Naruto leaning on the guardrail on the docks, staring out at the ocean. Though she didn't know what he was thinking, she could tell something was definitely bothering him. She looked at Alvis, and saw he was fast asleep, then looked at Kakashi, "Would you mind taking Alvis to your hotel room? I'll come get him after I've talked with Naruto, and see what's up with him."

Kakashi nodded, and watched Sakura rush out the door, and looked out the window as she ran over to Naruto.

The sun had set, and the stars were out with a half-moon. Naruto stared up at the sky for a while, letting a warm night breeze run through his hair, then released a sigh as he looked out toward the horizon. Some nearby footsteps brought him out of his thoughts, and he looked back to see Sakura looking at him with worry. "Oh…hey, Sakura."

Sakura sighed quietly as Naruto turned his attention back to the ocean. She walked up beside him, resting her hand on his back, letting him know she was worried about him, and looked him in the corner of his eye, "Naruto? Are you okay? What's wrong?"

Naruto sighed quietly, and looked at Sakura for a moment, then turned his attention to the ocean again, "I'm fine, Sakura. I was just thinking."

Sakura slid her hand down Naruto's back, brought it to her side, and leaned on the rail next to Naruto, "I thought we told you not to do that anymore." She teased, looking out at the ocean as well.

Naruto smirked a laugh at the joke, and playfully nudged her shoulder with his own, "Well, when have I ever been one to listen to reason?" He joked back.

Sakura tilted her head and nodded, "Hmm…good point. I didn't think about that." She teased again. She remained silent for a moment, enjoying the peace time with just herself and Naruto, looking at the moon's reflection on the water's surface. After what seemed like an eternity, she looked at Naruto again, "So, what were you thinking about?"

"I'm not sure how to put it in words." Naruto said, releasing a sigh, "I guess you could say I was thinking about everything. My past, my future…what to replace my dream of becoming Hokage with… There's so much happening now that it's hard for me to focus on one thing."

Sakura stared at Naruto with sorrowful eyes, and rested her hand on his back, offering him a little comfort. She waited a few minutes, watching Naruto's body language, and could tell he was definitely frustrated about something. "So, what's wrong?" She finally asked after a period of silence.

Naruto released a depressing sigh, and took his headband off, holding it firmly in his left hand, "You know how proud I was when I finally got my headband the first time? After trying so hard to perfect my skills, and to impress just one single person? I dedicated my whole life to wearing this symbol proudly, and thought I would never take it off. I would carry this thing to the grave if I had to. But…after that last mission…all of that was ripped from me. My dream of becoming Hokage, earning the respect of the villagers…it all just disappeared."

Sakura only continued to stare at Naruto with some tears forming in her eyes. She listened as he continued.

"And now, I don't know what to do. I'm hoping that with a new world comes a new future…hopes and dreams…but I can't continue if I'm still haunted by my past. This headband, the same headband that once gave me strength and hope for the future, is nothing but a memory of dead ends."

Sakura continued to stare at Naruto for a few moments, looked at the headband in his far hand, and then looked at him again, "What are you saying?" She asked curiously.

Naruto sighed, looked at her, and then looked out at the ocean again, "I'm saying this headband is too painful for me to wear anymore. If I keep it, it'll just continue to remind me of a difficult time in my life. A time I want to forget all about." He clinched the headband tightly, took a step back, and then stepped forward again, throwing the headband as far as he could, making Sakura's jaw drop. They both watched it splash into the ocean where it sank to the bottom.

Sakura turned to look at Naruto, and could immediately see a huge burden had been lifted off his shoulders. She smiled softly, and took his hand in hers, taking him by surprise. She smiled kindly and nodded in approval, "I'm proud of you. You're putting in an effort to lock the past behind you, which is something many fear to do, especially when all their hopes and dreams were ripped away from them. I've never been more proud of you than I am right now. You've really grown, Naruto."

Naruto stared at Sakura in silence, but a huge grin grew on his face in time, "Well, I always say I'm never one to give up."

Sakura laughed and nodded, "Yeah, that's true." She stopped as she noticed there was something else on Naruto's mind, and he was starting to act strange. He was looking at the ground next to her, then looked her in the eyes.

"Sakura…I know this might be kind of a weird time, but since we're alone, and I'm trying to put my past behind me…I think it's time that I tell you something. Something I've wanted to tell you for a long time…"

Sakura's eyes widened, and her lips curled into a smile. "Go ahead."

Naruto gulped, not knowing what to expect, but managed to maintain his courage, "I just want to tell you that…that…your nails could really do with some polish."

Sakura's eyes widened, and she stared at Naruto in disbelief. Her eye twitched, and her tempter flew up, "Are you kidding me?!" She yelled in anger, " _That's_ what you've always wanted to tell me?! Are you out of your mind?! I thought you were being serious about this, but you sure proved me wrong! Why the absolute nerve! I have half a mind to send you skipping off the ocean!" She sent her fist flying at Naruto's stomach, but to her surprise, he did something unexpected.

With her fist extended all the way out, Naruto dodged her punch, folded her arm around his back, held her tight and close, before he kissed her forehead, completely killing her anger. Her eyes widened, and she looked up at Naruto who was smiling with sparkling eyes.

"You forehead is so big…it made me want to kiss it."


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

 **Confession**

Sakura stared at Naruto with eyes of disbelief. Her mind was racing each of the four winds, and it was proving difficult to wrap her head around what Naruto just told her. She couldn't speak, and she could hardly breathe. All she could do is stare at Naruto in wonder. After a period of time, she was able to collect her thoughts and talk to the man holding her, "You….it wasn't…all those years ago, when we were first assigned to Team Seven…it wasn't Sasuke who complimented my forehead…it was you…wasn't it?"

Naruto smiled softly at his love, but fear was starting to take over his body now. He released his hold on her and gently pushed her back, "Yes, it was me. I always hoped you would figure it out yourself, but I had my doubts it would ever happen, which is why I told you just now."

Sakura continued to stare at Naruto in awe, still trying to collect her scattered mind, but was starting to come to an understanding. Tears formed in her eyes, and she looked down at the ground in disgust with herself, "I…I see." She looked up at Naruto again as she continued, "Naruto, I…I don't even know where to begin. I always knew you cared more about me than I really wanted to admit. I knew it was more than a crush you felt towards me, but…I never imagined you…" Her eyes widened, and she threw herself at Naruto, burying her face into his shoulder as she started to cry, "I'm so sorry! The pain I must have caused you, the ways I must have made you suffer! I've used you, and taken you for granted, thinking you'd always be around. I must have taken your heart and smashed it into a million pieces a dozen times over, but you keep collecting the pieces, putting it back together, and handing it to me again, only for me to do more damage to it than I did the last time." She took a step back, stared into his eyes, and gently rubbed his check as she continued, "I am _so_ sorry I've done this to you. The promise of a life-time you gave me when you left to retrieve Sasuke…It must have killed you on the inside." Tears started to form in her eyes again, and she pulled him close to her, hugging him tightly, refusing to let him go, "I can never fully repay you for everything you've done for me. You've been there for me through thick and thin, and even when I act like to complete bitch to you, you're still there for me. I'm so sorry!"

Naruto wrapped his arms around Sakura, giving her the comfort she needed, "I wish you wouldn't cry, Sakura." He said softly as he stroked her back, "I never cared about how harshly you treated me back then, but I will admit…you said some things that really hurt. But I was able to put it all behind me, because I knew that a new day meant another chance. I'm sorry I was always such an annoyance."

Sakura forced Naruto away, and held his shoulders firmly as she looked him in the eye, "No. You don't have to be sorry for anything. Once I learned about the Nine-Tails, everything made sense to me, and I instantly regretted everything bad I ever said about you, or agreeing with the other students when they commented on how pathetic you were. You were an "annoyance" because it's what got you attention, and it's the only way you were ever noticed. You have _nothing_ to apologize for, and I don't want to hear you say otherwise. _I'm_ the one that always hurt you. _I'm_ the one that always turned you down. _I'm_ the one that thought she was superior to you. It doesn't matter if you accept every apology I throw your way, what I did to you was and still remains unforgivable. I just….I wish I would have seen this sooner. I wish I'd have never sent you after Sasuke. Maybe you wouldn't have gotten hurt like you did, and maybe you wouldn't have felt so down about yourself when you told me you'd failed. I wish…I wish I would have accepted you sooner."

Naruto looked down at the ground after hearing the mention of Sasuke, and tried to keep the pain of his ripping heart from getting to him. He returned his attention back to Sakura, "Um…Sakura… about Sasuke and my promise…"

Sakura looked at Naruto, sealing his lips with her index finger. "Forget about him and that stupid promise you made me. It's not Sasuke I've been in love with all this time, it's you." She leaned forward, pressing her lips against his, pulling him closer and holding him tighter, doing everything she could to tell Naruto that it was really him she wanted. They both closed their eyes, letting Sakura's kiss take over, and Naruto eventually kissed back, but let Sakura remain the dominant contender. She kept her lips sealed against his for what seemed like an eternity before they had to separate, and gasp for air.

Naruto couldn't have been more satisfied. Though his mind was spinning a million miles an hour, he looked at Sakura with a pleasurable smile, gasping for air, "Do you know how long I've wanted you to do that?" He finally asked after a long period of silence.

Sakura smirked a smile at him, "Do you know how long I've _wanted_ to do that?" She asked with a wink.

"Well, I could only hope since forever." Naruto teased.

Sakura giggled, gently kissed his cheek, and rested her chin on his shoulder as she started to run her hands up and down his back, "Well…that's a close enough estimate."

They both smiled at each other, and made their way to their hotel rooms hand in hand.

At the hotel rooms, Sakura and Naruto continued to hold hands as they ascended the stairs to their rooms, teasing, and joking with each other as they made their way.

"You know, ever since we confessed, I can't say I'm all that tired any more. I still have a lot of energy left." Naruto said.

"Hmm, come to think of it, I'm kind of in the same boat, really." Sakura said. She looked at Naruto who seemed to already have a plan brewing in his mind, "So, what are you thinking?"

Naruto's cheeks turned pink and he nervously scratched his cheek as he looked at the ground, "Well, since we're kind of…you know, boyfriend and girlfriend now, maybe we could have a movie date in my room?"

Sakura smiled kindly at Naruto and nodded in agreement, "Yeah, good idea. It'd also give us an excuse to actually eat these left overs. Any idea what time it is?"

"I don't think it's even eleven yet." Naruto said, shaking his head.

"Ah, perfect. I'll check in on Alvis, take him to my room, and I'll be there when I'm done checking on him. Okay?" Sakura asked.

Naruto nodded, and continued to lead Sakura to the rooms.

Once she'd checked in on Alvis, and tucked him in in her own room, Sakura entered Naruto's room to see he was already flipping through the channels on the TV. "So, anything good yet?" She asked as she sat on the bed next to him.

"Mmm…nothing yet." Naruto groaned in annoyance. He looked at Sakura before he continued, "What kind of show would you like to watch? I'll let you decide."

"Oh, just find anything that seems interesting. I don't really care about the movie." She said in a sassy voice that made Naruto's skin crawl.

Naruto looked at Sakura and gulped nervously, "W-what do you mean, exactly?"

Sakura gave Naruto a sassy stare with her closest eye, and gently kissed his cheek, "I have a few ideas." She whispered softly, "Nothing serious, but I want to make up some of the pain I caused you…right now."

Without warning, she pressed her hands against Naruto's chest, using her superior strength to force him down. Within the next second, she was lying on top of him with her arms wrapped around his beck, and softly kissing his lips.

Naruto, who was completely caught off guard from Sakura's movements, wrapped his arms around her waist and let Sakura lead the way. She continued to kiss and tease him by biting his lower lip, nose, and playfully tugging at both his ears.

Sakura ran her hands up and down Naruto's chest and stomach, and teased him by grabbing his waist a few times. He wasn't the most romantic partner, but he definitely had potential. After all, it wasn't like he had parents to talk to him about romance or what to expect from stuff like this, but he followed her leadership, which was enough to satisfy Sakura.

After twenty minutes, the couple ceased their kissing, and Sakura rolled over on top of Naruto, and he wrapped her arms around her stomach.

"I can't believe I wanted Sasuke over you. I _never_ would have gotten that kind of enjoyment from him." Sakura whispered softly in Naruto's ear.

Naruto had his eyes closed with the biggest and goofiest grin Sakura had ever seen. She giggled quietly, and playfully pinched his nose, dragging his head all over the place. As she did, Naruto made a number of funny noises that made her bust out in laughter, and she felt his hands slide under her shirt.

She smirked at him and gave him an angry but playful glare, "Don't you get any funny ideas. What do you think you're doing sliding your hands under my shirt like that?"

Naruto slightly opened his eye as he started to chuckle, "I'm thinking about when you were teasing me outside Ichiraku Ramen, and how I'd pay you back for it."

Sakura smirked again, and playfully bit his lips, "Oh, yeah? And what's your big plan for your revenge?" She asked teasingly.

"Mmm…given your current position, I think this would be appropriate."

Before Sakura could say something, she felt Naruto wiggling his finger in her navel, making her erupt into a fit of laughter. She started rolling and twirling, trying to escape from his fingers, but he had her exactly where he wanted her. A second later, she felt him start squeezing and lightly sliding his fingernails down her sides, making her go insane.

"Ahahahaha, Naruto! Hahahaha! Stop it!" Sakura screamed in laughter, but with a certain amount of pleasure in her voice.

Naruto chuckled, and gently bit her neck as he continued to tickle her stomach, making her moan, but laugh at the same time. A few seconds later, he released Sakura from his hold, and she rolled off the bed, trying to get some distance.

Naruto laughed, and looked over the edge of his bed to see Sakura lying on her back, still laughing from the torture. "Was that revenge enough?" Naruto asked, still laughing.

Sakura's laughter lessoned, and she glared up at Naruto while covering her stomach, "That was an evil thing to do you wicked, wicked man." She joked, "You're brave for doing that to me, I'll give you that. Ah man, that was absolutely evil!"

"And you teasing me outside Ichiraku wasn't?" Naruto asked.

Sakura opened her mouth to say something, but she stopped, "Hmm…come to think of it, you have a point."

Naruto continued to laugh for a little bit, but he started to get a little worried, and Sakura noticed the change in his attitude, "Naruto? What's wrong?"

Naruto looked away from Sakura as he tried to think about what he was going to say, then looked at her again, "Listen, what I just did…that didn't make you angry or anything did it? As in you don't want to be around me anymore?"

Sakura laughed a little, and gave Naruto a reassuring wink, "What, you think I'm going to leave you over some revenge tickling? It's going to take more than that to get me to stop being interested in you, Naruto. Tickling is something that happens in every relationship, and to be honest…I kind of had it coming. Just don't overdo it, and you have nothing to worry about. Besides, it was actually kind of fun."

"You found it fun?" Naruto asked, a little shocked by Sakura's words.

"Sure. But like I said, too much can become really annoying and it can become a serious turn off. But little instances like that are perfectly fine." Sakura said in a reassuring tone.

Naruto smiled softly, and returned to his previous position, "I'll keep that in mind. I guess Alvis can really call us his parents now, then, huh?"

Sakura laughed, and rose from the floor, brushing herself off when she was fully up, "Yeah, come to think of it, that's actually true more or less. I'm not sure if I want to break the news yet, though."

"You know, speaking of Alvis, it seems that ever since we picked him up, we've grown closer and closer, and it seems like you've been closer to me than the opposite way around. Why is that?" Naruto asked.

Sakura laid down next to Naruto again, and playfully punched pinched his nose before he started forcing him around, "Because, knucklehead, you impressed me by showing what kind of father figure you'd be. It didn't take much for you to develop a father-like relationship with Alvis, which is something women consider to be a major attraction in men. If you treat young ones with respect, and you're someone they enjoy being around, it's a major attraction for us. Ever since I found him in that dresser, Alvis has been like a son to me, and I always told myself I'd adopt at least one kid as well as raise my own. And seeing how you treat Alvis, I think you'd make an excellent father."

Naruto's eyes widened, and he stared at Sakura, unable to say anything.

Sakura only smiled back at him, but pressed her lips against his before she stood from the bed, "Well, I hate to cut this short, but it'd probably be best if we turned in. We have a big, big day ahead of us tomorrow. Let's make sure we're at the docks by the time Night Hawk appointed us."

Naruto nodded in agreement, "Okay, but can I get one more kiss before you go?"

Sakura tapped her finger against her chin, teasing Naruto, and eventually leaned in, "Oh, all right, you talked me into it." She gave Naruto one last long kiss before separating, and making her way to her room on the opposite side of Naruto's far wall.

Naruto waited until Sakura was gone, covered his mouth with a pillow, and yelled as loud as he could into it, releasing as much joy as he could.


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

 **The Fleet Arrives**

Naruto woke to a loud roar, and the entire building shaking. Things were falling off the walls and furniture as the building shook, and the shaking intensified again as another roar echoed above.

" _What in the hell?"_ Naruto thought as he climbed out of bed, put a shirt on, and rushed outside still wearing his pajama pants. When he opened the door, he froze at the sight before him. The Unknown Navy had arrived sometime in the night, and in the ocean, as far as the eye could see, were ships that dwarfed even the largest passenger ship the Elemental Nations had. He stepped up to the rails of the second floor balcony, and leaned against them as he took in the sight. The air was hazy, which limited his line of vision, but the outlines of larger ships could be seen far in the background behind the smaller ships. The voices of sailors and soldiers could be heard from the docks and nearby ships as they shouted commands and orders.

Behind him, the door to Sakura and Kakashi's rooms clicked, and he turned to see Sakura carrying Alvis, who was sleeping on her shoulder, and Kakashi coming out to investigate.

"Huh? You're up before me? Well, that's first." Sakura teased as she walked up beside Naruto, not noticing the fleet.

Naruto grinned and smirked at her, "Well, they say there's a first time for everything, right?"

Sakura smiled softly, then looked out at the ocean. Her body froze and her jaw practically came loose. She stared at the fleet in silence for a while, then looked at Naruto again, "I…I thought Night Hawk said it'd be a _small_ fleet that we were supposed to rendezvous with. If _that's_ a small fleet, I'd hate to see an invasion force."

"Well, he did say the Atlassian Navy was huge, too, you know." Kakashi said, even he being a little surprised by the sight in front of him.

Naruto shrugged his shoulder and nodded, "Well…yeah, I guess that's fair enough."

Sakura looked down at Alvis, who was still sleeping soundly on her shoulder, and she started to stroke his back, "Hey, sleepy-head. It's time to wake up."

Alvis twitched his eye, and he turned his head to bury his face in Sakura's shoulder. He murmured something in her shoulder that she translated to just, "Five more minutes" which made her laugh quietly. She held him a little tighter, and gently kissed the top of his head, "I think you'll like what you see."

Alvis waited a few moments, taking what his new mother took into context, then slowly opened his eyes. He waited for his eyes to adjust, and Sakura repositioned him on her hip so he could look out at the ocean. It took him a while to process what he was seeing, but once he figured out he was looking at a fleet, Alvis' eyes widened, and his lips curled into a huge grin. "Woah! Those ships are huge!" He shouted in excitement.

Just then, another roar echoed from behind them, and the three ninja turned to see what it was. They caught a glimpse of it, but were forced to look up as it passed overhead.

Three dragons with enormous wingspans flew over the docks and fleet before disappearing into the distant haze. Before the group had a chance to process what they just saw, another group flew over them, this time followed by a much larger, but slower dragon.

Naruto's mouth hung wide open with his eyes as wide as dinner plates, and Sakura's expression wasn't much different.

"W-w-w-was t-that w-what I t-think it was?!" Naruto asked loudly.

Sakura, barely able to move from disbelief, nodded, "I…I think so, but…how is that even possible?"

Another group flew over, but this time Naruto was able to spot something.

"What the he-" He glanced at Alvis, then looked back to the dragons, "I mean heck…there are people riding on those things! Did any of you see that?"

Sakura looked at Naruto for a moment, then looked back at the dragons, "Mmm….they're too far away now to spot anything. Let me see if I can spot anything with the next group."

Several seconds passed, and the next group of dragons passed over, but this time the smaller dragons were escorting an even bigger one than the previous large one.

Sakura squinted her eyes, and saw a figure riding on the back of one of the smaller dragons. Her eyes widened, and she continued to stare at the creature in awe, "Holy cow! Naruto, you were right. There _are_ people riding those things!"

There was a period of silence as the group continued to watch the dragons fly overhead and stare out at the fleet. "So…do you think it would be a wise idea to head towards the docks now?" Naruto asked, breaking the silence.

Sakura and Kakashi both looked at him and nodded, "Yeah, that's probably a good idea. I have no idea what time it is, either. Let's get our stuff ready, and…I guess prepare to kiss this land good-bye." Sakura said.

Naruto and Kakashi nodded in agreement, and the group ran back into their rooms to collect their stuff.

Once they'd gathered their belongings, the three ninja and Alvis made their way to the docks where they were supposed to meet Night Walker – the commanding Admiral and General of the Atlassian force. However, the closer they got to the docks, the more hectic things became. Crowds of carnival tourists blocked the path to the docks, making it nearly impossible for Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi and Alvis to reach their destination on time. Once they made it to the front of the crowd, however, they ran into another problem. Atlassian Police forces standing in a line prevented them from going through, even though the ninja tried convincing them they were sent by Night Hawk.

As Naruto tried to push through, one of the MP's grabbed him by the throat and forced him back, making Naruto lose his balance as he did. He sat up again, giving the MP a nasty glare, but knew it was useless. As he stood up, Sakura rested her hand on his shoulder, catching his attention,

"Let's see if we can find another way around." She suggested.

Naruto nodded, and followed Sakura and Kakashi as they tried to find another way through.

A few minutes passed, but the group managed to find a way to the docks that wasn't crawling with tourists or Atlassian Military Police. It was a longer way around, but it beat trying to force their way through a riot line.

As they continued their way, the three ninja started to get a sinking suspicion they were in an area they didn't need to be. Almost out of nowhere, Unknown Sailors and soldiers were all around them, but they were so busy loading or repairing their ships that they didn't have time to notice them. Upon further inspection of the troops, it became very obvious the Unknown Military was indeed not made up of ninja, but rather something completely unique compared to what the three ninja were used to.

The Unknown Soldiers were all wearing different colored robes that seemed to symbolize something of importance. What they assumed were the soldiers were outfitted not much differently from Night Hawk. Soldiers wore dark colored robes that ranged in a variety of color, and were armed with an arsenal of weapons. Most notably were the crossbows that seemed to be the weapon of choice for the military, but many of them were also armed with shields, spears, swords, and axes. The more the ninja observed the militants around them, the more curious they became. However, they were ripped out of their thoughts as one of the soldiers spotted them.

" **You, there! Halt!** " The soldier yelled in a voice that made the three ninja freeze on the spot, throwing their hands up in the air.

Suddenly, Naruto, Sakura, Alvis and Kakashi were surrounded by men with crossbows, and were signaled by one of the soldiers in front of them to spin around.

Once they did, they saw a man walking to them, and even though his face was covered by a mask, the ninja could tell he was not in a good mood.

"This area has been locked down for the Atlassian Military, and only Atlassian Militants are allowed here. How did you slip past the checkpoint?" The man asked.

Sakura hesitated at first, but stepped forward as she spoke up, "Sir, we apologize for intruding, we were just trying to find our way to our rondeaus point with a man named Night Walker."

The man's eyes narrowed, and he ordered the ninja searched. Two male soldiers ripped Naruto and Kakashi's weapon holders and back packs off, and started searching their bodies for any additional weapons hidden in their clothes. A female soldier came from nearby and started searching Sakura while another female, though not expecting to find anything on a young child, separated Alvis from Sakura, gave him a quick scan, and scooted him back to the woman they presumed was an older sibling.

Once the soldiers were done searching, one of the male soldiers came up to the higher ranking man and gave him Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi's weapon packs, "Sir, this is all they had on them aside from any possible magic these people use: A few kunai, scrolls, and a small number of ninja stars. Judging from their headbands, they seem to be from the Hidden Leaf village where Night Hawk was sent to recruit one of the demon children on this continent."

The higher ranking man observed the ninja, then looked at their backpacks, "What have you found in their packs?"

A female soldier stood from where she was searching and saluted the man as she talked, "Nothing out of the ordinary here, sir! Just extra clothing, body care, food and water."

The ranking officer nodded, and returned his attention to the three ninja who Atlassian Soldiers were still aiming their crossbows at. "Is it true? You're from the Leaf Village?" He asked, looking at Sakura.

Sakura nodded, "Yes, sir. We traveled here with Night Hawk, but he left us yesterday when we reached the carnival. He didn't give us any instructions on where we were supposed to go or what were supposed to do. All he said was we're supposed to meet this Night Walker person."

The officer studied Sakura's eyes, and saw she was telling the truth. He ordered his troops to lower their weapons and handed back their weapon holders, "Alright, you can have these back. Sorry about jumping on your like that, but we can't be too careful." He pointed to the very end of the dock, "To get to the general, you'll need to go all the way down the dock and take the last left. He should be around in that area. The checkpoints have been ordered to keep an eye out for you, so you'll want to put these on before you're harassed by anymore troops." He handed each of the ninja and Alvis a blue ribbon to wear around their wrists, "You'll want to hurry. The General isn't exactly a patient man."

Sakura bowed to the man, "Thank you, Sir." She glanced down at Alvis, then looked at the man again, "Um…what about Alvis, here? He's an orphan I took in after I found him hiding in a village that'd been overrun by bandits. Is there some place I should take him?"

The officer looked down at Alvis, then looked at Sakura again, "I'd recommend taking him to Ms. Holland. She's the General's girlfriend or soon-to-be wife. Shoulder length dark brown hair, brown eyes, very attractive, you can't miss her. She should be with the general. She'll take care of the kid. He couldn't be in better hands, really. A lot of us as soldiers have a lot of respect for that woman. Maybe even more than the General."

Sakura smiled kindly at the officer, "Thank you, Sir. I guess we'll be going now."

The officer nodded, and waved them on their way, but stopped them as he remembered something, "Oh, and just a friendly word of advice. Both the General and Ms. Holland are guarded by Honor and Shadow Guard. Unless you've got a death wish, you'll keep your hands away from your weapon holders. Am I clear?"

The ninja's eyes widened, and they each nodded at the officer.

The officer nodded in approval, and waved them on their way.

A short time later, Sakura, Alvis, Naruto and Kakashi arrived where they thought they were supposed to be. They'd each tied the ribbons the officer from earlier had given tom around their wrists, but they still got chilling stares from a lot of the soldiers, which made the ninja feel a little uneasy. Knowing nothing about the soldiers that made up the Atlassian Military, their training, or the way they fought, they didn't like the idea of them jumping on them by surprise.

At the end of the dock, the group saw a man clothed in a solid black tattered hooded robe that concealed his face in shadow surrounded by a number of men that were obviously more elite than the soldiers they'd previously seen. As they got closer, however, they also saw Night Hawk was standing with the man, and judging by shape of another figure, a woman was there as well.

As he spotted them, Night Hawk rose his arm in the air, and signaled for the ninja to approach. After processing his command, the ninja made their way to the group of people where they reported in.

"So, this is the "Demon of the Hidden Leaf Village?" The man the group assumed was Night Walker asked.

Night Hawk nodded, "Yes. However, there's been a complication. The boy can no longer use his chakra because his left arm can't circulate any, which means he can't cast the 'magic' these people use…jutsu I believe is what they call it."

Night Walker sighed in anger, but seemed to brush it off in a hurry, "That does complicate things, but I assume you didn't bring him here just for the sake of it."

Night Hawk nodded, "That's correct. Though he can't circulate chakra anymore, he's still in fairly decent shape, and he has potential to be a decent soldier. In fact, he may even be a waste as regular military infantry."

"Hmm…I'll be the one who decides that." Night Walker said, "A few months of basic training should form an opinion. What about the others?"

"The girl's name is Sakura Haruno. She's a skilled medic, and is definitely someone who could prove to be a major asset. The man is Kakashi Hatake. He has a nickname as the 'copy ninja' and has a pretty powerful number of jutsu in his arsenal. He's no match for an assassin or elite soldier such as an Honor or Shadow Guard, but he could still be useful on the battlefield."

Night Walker, a little surprised to see a kid among them, focused his attention of Alvis, "So…who's the kid."

"Alvis is my adopted son." Sakura said, bring Alvis closer to her, "I rescued him from a village that had been attacked by bandits."

Night Walker looked at Night Hawk, "Is this true? The boy has no other family?"

"Not as far as I know." Night Hawk said, "Sakura was very interested in taking the boy under her wing, and has shown nothing less than motherly love for him. And considering Naruto here is more or less his father now…"

Naruto and Sakura's eyes widened, " _Wait…does he know about us?_ " The thought at the same time.

"Hmm…very well." Night Walker turned his attention to Sakura, "Normally, Atlassia frowns on immigration, but it's not a country full of people to turn away a child needing a second chance." He turned and waved for the woman in the background to come up, and he wrapped her arm around her as she did, "This is Jessica Holland, my future wife. Your son couldn't be in any better hands than when he's with her."

Jessica gave Sakura a friendly smile and held her arm out, "So, you're the one who saved the kid from the village? That's very noble of you."

Sakura returned Jessica's smile, and shook her hand, "Thank you. So, you'll look after him while we're busy doing…whatever?"

Jessica nodded, giving Sakura a reassuring smile, "M-hmm. Don't worry about a thing. I'll take care of him." She bent down to Alvis's level, and held her hands out as she gave him a friendly smile.

Alvis stared at Jessica for a moment, then looked up at Sakura. She gave him a nod, and he walked over to Jessica, who wrapped him in her arms, and picked him up off the ground, resting him on her hip.

While Sakura and Jessica were talking, Naruto was having trouble not to look in Jessica's direction. He didn't want to admit it, but Night Walker's girlfriend was easily the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. Shoulder length dark brown hair, tan skin, sparkling white teeth, brown eyes, and a very attractive figure. His eyes continued to glance in her direction, but luckily for him, it seemed to go unnoticed.

"So, what's the first order?" Kakashi asked, catching Night Walker's attention.

Night Walker looked at Kakashi, lowered his hood, and revealed his face.

Sakura noticed in the corner of her eye, and she couldn't help but take quick glances at him. Night Walker stood at a height of 6'5 with a similar body build as night Hawk's. Not super masculine, but he was definitely strong and in good shape. He had dark blue eyes, cropped black hair, and was cleanly shaved. She tried not to glance too much, and was forced to look the opposite direction for a moment. She looked at Jessica again, and saw she had a slightly amused look on her face.

"That happens a lot. I used to get mad when women looked at him that way, but I learned in time that it can't really be helped." Jessica said.

Sakura sighed in relief, "Thank heavens. I thought for sure we'd set off on the wrong foot over this if this kept up."

Jessica laughed and gave Sakura a reassuring smile, "Nah, don't worry about it. He still mesmerizes me when he take that hood off, and we've been together since our mid-teen years."

"Oh, really? Well, that's reassuring." Sakura said.

Jessica looked over at Naruto, then looked at Sakura, "Your boyfriend's kind of cute. How long have you been together?"

Sakura blushed slightly, and scratched her cheek as she looked at the ground, "Since yesterday night. He confessed his feelings while we were alone, and I realized I was chasing the wrong man all this time."

Jessica smiled softly, and gently patted Sakura's shoulder with her free hand, "Well, congratulations. You two make a cute couple."

Sakura smiled at Jessica and nodded, "Thanks. So do you and…if you don't mind me asking, what's his real name?"

Jessica looked at Night Walker for a moment. He looked at her, glanced at Sakura, and then nodded at Jessica. Jessica nodded back, and turned her attention to Sakura, "Chris Lynheart (Len-heart)."

Sakura nodded, and watched as Jessica played with Alvis. Alvis seemed to enjoy being around her already, but she had her suspicions why once she noticed Jessica's breast size. Her eyes narrowed as she quietly compared hers to Jessica's, " _Why do I always feel so left out?_ " She thought.

"So what's our training going to be like?" Naruto asked curiously, gaining Chris' attention.

"After everything I've heard about you, I have something special in mind. You'll spend a month learning about our weapons and tactics, but then you'll spend the next two running through simulated battles. I want to see what you three are capable of. If you prove to be more than mere military material, I'll have more important jobs for you."

Naruto nodded, and smashed the fist of his right hand into his left palm, "I'm ready to prove myself!" He said with enthusiasm.

Chris smirked, and turned his back to the group, "You'll get your chance in time. As for now, you'll do as you're instructed."

The three ninja nodded, and followed Chris, Jessica, Night Hawk, and the elite guards onto a vessel that took them further out to sea to the heart of the fleet. Chris' command ship – the Eclipse. Once on board, the ninja were sent to a group of drill instructors that were waiting for them as Night Hawk, Chris and Jessica each went their separate was.

At the bridge of the enormous flag ship, the officers stood at attention as Chris entered, and asked for his orders.

Chris stood in the center of the bridge and stared out at sea for a moment. Once the second hand on the clock hanging on the wall struck a new minute, Chris gave the order, "Ahead full!"

The officers nodded, and the ship came to life, leading the fleet of 2,000 Atlassian ships out to sea.

 **Conclusion**

As a new day began, so did a new life for the three ninja. Leaving their home behind, they hoped to adjust to this new land they were sailing to, and tried to think of new hopes and dreams along the way. The main thing they were all wondering, however, is what new adventures were waiting for them in the next world, and what new challenges would the face?

Thank you everyone for reading. This was part one of a series that will be divided into multiple stories. There is one more chapter I will post for this particular story that goes into detail about the Atlassian military and the land itself. It will not progress the story at all, so it is completely skipable if these things do not interest you.

The next story will be "Sakura's Diary" and it will go into detail about what happened on the Eclipse and what their training was like.

I hope you all enjoyed, and I hope to see you in the stories to follow.

Please leave some feedback on what you thought about the story. What you think I should improve on, and what you hope to see in the future.

Until next time! Take care!


	14. Bonus Chapter

**Bonus Chapter**

 **Basic Information About The Unknown**

Author's Notes: Hey, everyone. Though this part of the story is finished, I still have a few things to over for the next story titled "Sakura's Diary" and the third part of the story which has yet to be named. This chapter has no actual significance to the rest of the series, so this is completely skippable. So, let's get started.

Also, a reminder, **ALL** of my characters are protected by copyright, as well as the Land of the Unknown itself. You may **NOT** take these characters for your own use!

 **The Eclipse**

The Eclipse is one of the nine major ships known as Fleet Destroyers that are given to generals of Atlassia to serve as their flagships. Aside from their cousins, the City Destroyers, they are the most powerful weapons on the planet. Fleet Destroyers cost over one-hundred-billion Atlatii to build, and they take over two decades to construct. Their crew size will range depending on the ship, but every one of the nine ships carries a personal crew of fifteen-thousand, as well as their own invasion army which can range in size from 10 to 20 thousand.

The Eclipse is the latest of her kind, and given to Chris Lynheart as politicians believed the ship fit his character. It is armed with twenty-five heavy cannon turrets on each side, as well as four high intensity laser cannons that can rip another fleet destroyer in half. The hull of the Eclipse is incredibly thick, and nothing less than three other Fleet Destroyers could bring her down. Her hull is painted solid black, and the ship is so massive that it literally blots out the sun when in harbor. Hence her name.

The Eclipse also comes with two launching pads to send its dragon patrols into the air, and holds several chambers for the many animal species the Unknown Military relies on for its Air Force and "armor regiments".

The ship is over three-thousand yards long, which makes it dwarf any other ship on the planet. She also stands several hundred meters tall, and has access to ray shields. The Eclipse alone has enough fire power to destroy the Elemental continent five times over.

Inside the Eclipse is a large open area that is meant to simulate battle fields and warzones against a number of enemies, but mostly the Agroneese as they're the only real enemy of the Unknown. The simulated battles are so intense that soldiers have been driven mad from the realism of the combat.

 **The Unknown Military**

In Atlassia, military service is mandatory, and only a few extreme cases may excuse one from enlisting. By the time they graduate from the eighth grade, Atlassians are seen as adults, and may enlist in the military if they choose, or they may continue their education to the Twelfth Grade. Basic training in the military lasts for over ten years, and even the most basic Atlassian soldier would seem highly elite to the strongest militaries in the real world.

Atlassian soldiers are standardly equipped with two swords, a shield, an axe, a spear and an automatic crossbow. The swords are made from dragon's teeth, making them unbreakable, and incredibly sharp. The shields soldiers are armed with cover their entire body, and act similar to lightsabers. Any projectile, be it a knife or an explosive device will be sent away, or even directly back at the attacker if the angle is right. Aside from their weapons, the standard soldier wears robes that may vary in color depending on the city they were trained it. Like the Marines in the United States, every soldier is a bowman, but depending on the city the individual is from, they're likely more than infantry. More on that later.

The military usually makes up half of the Unknown's population, which is typically around 2.5 Billion. And since the military teaches everything a soldier would need to know later on by hands on training, colleges and university are all but unheard of.

The military also has many factions within it. With standard infantry being the regular soldier, sailor or airman, to the more elite factions such as the Honor and Shadow Guard.

The Honor Guard are single handedly the most elite fighting force on the planet. They are only outmatched by higher rankings of the pre-ranking Seventeen Assassins who oversee their training. The Honor Guard are close to medium range fighters, and are equipped with only the best weapons and body protection the Unknown can afford. Out of a population of 2.5 Billion, there may only be 300 Honor Guard in the entire military.

The Shadow Guard are the opposite of the Honor Guard. They focus more on medium to long range combat, and support the Honor Guard from long range.

Members of the Honor or Shadow Guard may not marry, but are allowed to breed. For Atlassian women, giving birth to a child that may potentially be another member of the elite military factions is a tremendous honor, and they are protected at all costs by the government. If the woman gives birth to a girl, the soldier she slept with before may try again until the woman gives birth to a boy. These women may not marry, and are tasked to looking after their sons until they're old enough, then they're taken away to train with the Honor or Shadow Guard and live up to their code:

 _In the womb we wait._

 _From birth we rise._

 _In life we serve._

 _In battle we live._

 _In death we rest._

 _Code of the Honor Guard_

 _Voice of the Shadow Guard_

Training for Honor and Shadow Guard is so intense that it actually takes years away from their life. It is not uncommon for an elite soldier to die at an early age due to his body not being able to endure the training.

Women may not join the Honor or Shadow Guard.

 **The Country**

Atlassia is an enormous country, and comparing it to the real world would really show its size. It covers the vast majority of the Indian Ocean, and parts of it even stretch into the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, making it its own supersized continent that would rival Europe and Asia combined. Within its borders are several districts or regions, and each is governed by one of the nine massive cities within the borders. There are four deserts, five forests, eleven mountain ranges, seven lakes, five dividing rivers, eight volcanoes, two plain regions, a large tundra, and the Frozen Wastelands.

For almost every region, there is a governing city that represents a certain element. These cities will be described in further detail when the third story comes around.

In the Chris Lynheart series, the land is submerged under the oceans and has only existed through children's stories and legends. The typical name an Atlassian calls a human from another country is "Surface Dweller".

 **Government and Politics**

When a people remain independent of any other country for thousands, and thousands of years, they tend to find out what they're most happy with. In the original Chris Lynheart book series, the Unknown has remained a strong Republic since the end of the first Agroneese war which ended centuries before the Egyptians built their first pyramid. The country is a far right-wing continent, and remains so by a set of strict laws. Left ideologies such as socialism, communism, or even liberalism are strictly forbidden as the people view that kind of thinking as a threat to their way of life. However, even far right ethics are kept at a distance. Those who openly admit to supporting Socialism, Communism and Liberalism are stripped of their citizenship and given one of three choice: Be thrown out of the country, serve life in prison, or be executed.

In the Chris Lynheart series, the Land of the Unknown is as far away from political correctness as a people can be. They are hundreds if not thousands of years ahead of Surface Dwellers, and their military might would be unmatched. This has not changed with this Naruto fanfiction.

In order to keep politicians in order, elected officials are only allowed two years of service unless they are re-elected. In this case, an elected official may serve for four years, but nothing more. This keeps corruption at a minimum.

 **Animal Species**

 **Dragons**

There are three main dragon species that can be found in the Land of the Unknown, and even more lesser breeds of the species.

The first Dragon is the **Ellestellock (Ell-es-tel-lock)** species. These animals would be the fastest animals on the planet. In a dive, these creatures can reach speeds of up to 800 MPH, and have a cruising speed of 500 MPH. They are extremely agile, and can slow their speed at an alarming rate. These dragons can be found in almost any region of the Unknown, but are most commonly seen at their breeding grounds atop Mt. Vasseele.

The males of this dragon species would be the larger sex. Males have light blueish scales going down their backs, and often have horns above their eyes, and spikes running all along their backs to the ends of their tails. Most of their actual body would be covered in light greyish colored scales, but the scales will darken with age.

Females are the smaller sex, but much faster than males due to their smaller size and more aerodynamic shape. Females have lime green colored scales circling their eyes, and running all along their sides to the ends of their tales. Females are also more cautious of humans, and will usually flee at the sight of one. Males, however, will stand their ground and watch humans from a distance. However, young Ellestellocks can be tamed and trained as a means of transportation. They are used as "fighter jets" in the Unknown Military.

Ellestellocks are commonly used as a means of transportation, for there are no vehicles in the Unknown. Unless they feel threatened, they will not attack humans, and will sometimes freely approach people for closer inspections. However, these animals are very large and can kill a person with little effort. They breathe fire that burns at 1,500 degrees, and their teeth, claws, and talons are razor sharp. The average size of a male running from head to tail is the length of a soccer field, and their wingspan is almost twice as long.

Ellestellocks are predatory animals that eat other animals. They're not picky eaters and will hunt just about anything they can take down.

 **Synddereevvokks (Cyn-der-ee-voks)**

Synddereevvokks are the largest and most dominant dragon in the Unknown. They live in the Synroin Desert, and feed off the highly intensive radiation in the area. Synddereevvokks are feared by all animals for they have no competitors in the food chain. Synddereeccokks were once worshipped as gods for many people believed them to be divine beings trapped in a physical form due to their massive size and unnatural lifespan. These dragons are extremely rare, but are just as territorial and dangerous as they are rare. The males are the dominant sex of the species, but only the Alpha males are allowed to breed, which is one reason the dragon species is so rare. Only two alphas can exist at a time. A Synddereevvokk's life span can last for thousands of years on end, but few ever die of age. Male Synddereevvokks are constantly at war with one another over females, territory, food, etc. Overly populated cities have slipped out of existence within hours being caught in the middle of a Synddereevvokk war.

Males and females of the species are easily told apart by the colors of their scales. Males are born with bright red scales that darken with age, while females are born with bright yellow scales that eventually turn to golden scales over time. If a male lives long enough to make it to be an alpha, his scales will have turned completely black, and his eyes will have turned blood red. Words cannot describe how large one of these animals can become. Let alone how terrifying. Picture this: An Alpha Male Synddereevvock could swallow an entire Navy fleet in one gulp.

 **Iceissolise Dragons (Ice-is-sole-ise)**

Though the Synddereevvokks are huge and furious, they don't quite have the reputation of the most feared dragon species in the entire Land of the Unknown. The Iceissolise are found near the city of Watice to the far south. They live under the ice surface of Frozen Lake, and nest in the Frozen Wastelands. These dragons have claimed the lives of countless would be adventurers and traders, but their natural environment is too unforgiving to humans to attempt to kill off a few of the dragons. The Iceissolise would appear as giant flying snakes made of ice. They were inspired by the idea of Volvega: the boss in the Fire Temple in Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Not a lot is known about these dragons other than they are relentless and masters of ambushing their prey. They've also proven to be cannibalistic. Other than that, not much is known about them. Not even the distinctions between male and female is known about this dragon species.

 **Scorpions**

The Bahami-Sorrion Scorpion is the dominant predator in the Bahmah Desert. At birth, they would be the size of a human hand. But as they grow, they can eventually become the size of a five-story building. Both the male and the female would have solid black skeletal skin, but they are easily told apart. The males are smaller than the females, and only have one stinger. However, they have more eyes. A male has sixteen eyes whereas a female only has twelve. Females, however, are larger, meaner, and have two stingers instead of one. Their skeletal armor is thick, and nothing short of a cruise missile would kill them. They will attack humans on sight, as well as other scorpions.

The Bahami also serves the military as the Atlassian "heavy armored tank". They can dig tunnels underground, and surprise enemy forces by surfacing behind their lines. Bahami-Sorrions are outfitted with additional armor, and larger scorpions may be outfitted with an arsenal of weapons such as turrets and drills to help them tunnel underground faster.

There are many other things to cover for this fanfiction, but we will get to everything else in time.


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